The Babysitter
by bymak
Summary: As a former special ops and current 2IC for the most top secret base in the world, Colonel Jack O'Neill never thought that one babysitting mission could change the course of Earth. He didn't also considered, it could change his life so much.
1. Babysitting isn't for big bad Colonel's

_Hey there! Sooo, this was the one it gave me troubles (you know what I'm talking about if you read the monstrously long Unveiled Secrets). As per usual, some chapters are done and need another reading before I dare to post them, and some are still somewhere in the heaven of words waiting to be born… (geez, I should just shut up) ._

 _Anyway, welcome to this new trip…_

 _Enjoy!_

 _M_

 _Disclaimer: You know, all the things that made money belong to their rightful owners. The image, isn't mine, I grabbed it from google, so if it is yours, please let me know so I can properly give you the recognition and /or to take it down and find another :D_

 _ **Chapter 1 - Babysitting isn't for big bad Colonels.**_

 _Colonel Jack O'Neill was walking towards the briefing room, he came to know all too well over the course of the 4 years since he first set a semi suicidal foot on it. Since then, after (reluctantly) getting back to the same room a year later… he, somehow, became the 2IC of the new Stargate Command, or SGC for those who didn't get full disclosure._

 _And by being pointed for good under General's Hammond hands, as Spiderman knew for sure, with great power comes great responsibility, which, in his case meant being forced to take part of briefings for new personnel._

 _And briefings or debriefings from missions when his Commanding Officer couldn't assist._

 _Or, when they were too SNAFU, that they needed his cold strategical analysis to keep their men from being locked up._

 _And, of course, his personal favorite (not!), the scientific briefings on either technological advances (which tended to be brain numbing),_

 _Or to present reasons why they should endanger SGC personnel, while visiting some backwater planet with a Canadian postal code looking designation as name (which tended to stress the Jesus out of him). And most times, despite of his best efforts on telling them no. His position as 2IC showed its limits and he was forced to check the darn roster to see who would accompany the nerd squad._

 _However, when he received the call for the meeting he was about to join and later on, the dress blues code order. He knew without doubts that he 'might' not like whatever was going to happen on that meeting room, and that was an understatement._

 _He snorted, playing with the neck of his shirt. Luckily for him, dress blues weren't a thing at the SGC and he hadn't worn one since the last time someone screwed up really bad and explanations were required._

 _He absolutely hated how long explanations were always required. The short version apparently managed to short a circuit in everyone's brains, demanding long and very detailed reasons of why it was raining and how that affected the sight of the men in the field. And they were often, pushed through by the same people he expected to see currently sitting in the briefing room, which was possibly compressed of a highly stubborn bunch of half brained men and women with no idea of what was going on outside their little offices, claiming they knew what was best for everyone around and with power to meddle in their roster._

 _Is not that he loathed them, but it's like they say, 'too many cooks spoil the broth' and it seemed that spoiled broth had become their favorite dish._

 _He remembered quite vividly, the last 'broth' they've made. It was a year before, the self -acclaimed creme of the crop, affirming to know what was best for all humans involved, had decided to order Hammond to send SG3 to a mission to 'introduce and protect an unprepared civilian' into a godforsaken planet to study something way over his head, and for some reason unbeknown to him, the same group affirmed that such mission 'couldn't possibly wait'._

 _As a result, SG 3 and 7 saddled up and not even all the experience of their members could prevent the loss of 3 of their own, and returned with not only their loss, but with the civilian scientist carrying a snake in his brain._

 _Of course, that couldn't be 'it'._

 _Later that day, one snaked alien walked around the base and tried to kill the snake, which had found a host on their civilian. He frowned, that episode still bothered him to no end. Because, somehow, some vital information slipped out of the minds of their all-knowing officers, and hadn't them not forgotten about that teeny weeny detail, the whole incident would be pushed further ahead._

 _The reason would be simple, if it was just an SGC team or even one of their own scientist, it would be a go and the situation 'acceptable'. But this civilian … was a no. The little detail they left out was that the scientist was one of the 'foremost experts in gate technology' and having him snaked was a severe breach in security._

 _And to make it all worse, poor Reynolds had to deal with the guy pre getting snaked AND with the other snake, AND with the issue at hand, while he and his team were unavailable. Well, at least Teal'c was on base._

 _He shook his head because he knew when they first presented the mission to General Hammond, they had insisted it was an 'SG-1 hands only kind of mission'. As a matter of fact, the mission result sounded almost as bad as the many unlucky situations he and his team had to face before. However, the poor timing and the need to do it 'now!' because 'it couldn't wait', had made it impossible for SG-1 to go. Not that he wasn't glad that, for once, it wasn't really his mess to clean. Although, back then, he had his own wreckage to fix._

 _Oh! He also remembered quite vividly the reason why they were out of that mission, 2 simple words that sometimes still made him wince: 'Captain Simmons'. Why he was assigned to SG-1 in the first place? That was still something he couldn't understand, but when on his first mission, and in true Sg-1 fashion, they encountered snake heads, which saw them as a nice moving, shooting Dianas, Jack had expected any reaction from the young Captain, anything, but freezing in place. Simmons' lack of response had compromised his team fall back, since it forced them to go back to him and drag him to the gate, while trying to keep the boy safe._

 _The whole affair resulted in important injuries for Daniel and him. Thus, Simmons added to 8 the count of officers who couldn't keep up with his team. And his team was made up of a Jaffa and an Archaeologist! For Crying out loud! Okay, a former Prime Minister of a Fake God and a highly trained archaeologist… but still, how hard could actually be shot, run and don't get caught? And with his team lacking one man and the human part of the team out of the roster, the snafu dumb mission fell under SG-3 belts._

 _"At least the second snake hadn't managed to kill the scientist… that would have raised hell," he muttered to himself._

 _He stopped at the door that led to the briefing room, trying to get a hold of himself… which was a difficult task when so many dumbheads were in the same room, he felt himself become a mass of pure tension at his shoulder level and sighed. Then, with a decided step, he entered._

 _"You called, Sir?" he asked to his CO, ignoring the other glares he received from the other people in the room, for such informal way to talk to his superior officer._

 _"Yes, Colonel… please, sit down," General Hammond told him, also ignoring the widened eyes and the looks of disgust for not dressing him down for his odd behavior._

 _But they had come a long way and they knew each other too well now, Jack new Hammond didn't mind his bit of informality and George knew Jack was the best officer around and one who really know what to do in the most surprising and threatening situations._

 _With a shrug and a smirk pointed to the rest of the room, Jack quickly surveyed the situation and frowned when he only spotted an empty chair next to his CO and the complete absence of his teammates._

 _"Why do I have the feeling I won't like this?" He mumbled, but Hammond heard him._

 _"Because you won't, son, is not that I like it much either," his CO somberly whispered back. Someone in the back of the room stood up and he looked at the smirking face of the annoying Mayor Samuels, God he hated that guy. He was one of the worst dumbhead's in the country, I dare say the universe, but he always believed in letting people surprise him. Samuels managed to do it, every time._

 _"Colonel O'Neill, you have been chosen for a very special mission due to your abilities and past actions." General Hammond cleared his throat interrupting the Officer and managing to stop him from continuing his one man show. Jack raised an eyebrow, his abilities and past actions as he put it where many and they ranked from hellish to good._

 _"Colonel, SG-1 will be out of the roster until the fulfillment of this mission." Hammond raised his hand to stop him from interrupting, "I already talked with Teal'c, Dr. Jackson and Captain Andrews. They understand the situation, and they all agreed to be reassigned to other teams until further notice." Jack clenched his jaw, apparently it was all set and he didn't have a choice over the matter, so whatever it was… it was of utmost importance. He rolled his eyes at the crowd._

 _"I understand, Sir." He said respectfully to George, "May I ask what my new assignment is?" He asked firmly, trying not to show how much it was bothering him. The look on Hammond's face only made it worse._

 _"It's more a 'who is it?' than a 'what is it?' situation, Colonel," From the corner of his eye, he saw how Samuels smirk grew. "Your assignment, Colonel, is to serve and protect one Dr. McKay. Let's say that you will be acting as a bodyguard to the Doctor"_

 _"Wait! McKay? As in the civilian who got a snake attached to his brain?"_

 _"Yes"_

 _"Why?" he asked with a high degree of disgust._

 _"Remember the Tok'ra homeworld address?"_

 _Of course he remembered that day when their roster was once again changed out of the blue and they were sent to a sandy planet where they meet the goa'uld rebellion a.k.a the Tok'ra. How could he forget? They were captured and they were (almost) left to die there. Unless someone got snaked…_

 _It was a lucky thing that Captain Andrews did some volunteer hours at the Air Force Hospital and by doing it he managed to meet a former special ops General, a very sick one who complained he was still too young to die. Andrews convinced Jack that such kind of Officer would accept the offer of being snaked and continue to work for the Air Force out there, over losing the final battle with his disease. They managed to get permission from the Tok'ra to return to Earth, and Jack presented Andrews solution wearily. Surprising Jack with his decision, General Hammond agreed when Andrews proposed former General Carter as a possible host and liaison person with Tok'ra. In the few hours he got to spend with former General Carter and Selmak, he got to like the old man, he had a bad sense of humor and a serious respect to the Air Force. His snake wasn't bad either, not that he would acknowledge it out loud any time soon._

 _"Of course I remember that mission," Jack grunted._

 _"Well, the good Doctor was the provider of that address"_

 _"How's that even possible?" He questioned, "our nerd squad had never managed to come up with an address by themselves, and you meant to tell me, someone from the outside did?"_

 _"The Doctor pushed for a series of experiments to get in touch of the memories of the Goa'uld, experiments which led to learning the address and some other interesting things about both the Tok'ra and the Goa'uld's in general," someone else added with a stern voice. Jack frowned._

 _"And how exactly a lucky guess on a gate address grants an Air Force Officer escort?"_

 _"It doesn't."_

 _"Then?"_

 _"A couple of days ago, someone tried to kidnap the Doctor and such act raised a flag for national security"_

 _"And why are we sure it's national security and not another kind of kidnapping, maybe he is a little paranoid and mistook assailants for kidnappers"_

 _"She… isn't paranoid nor she is happy with this outcome," a woman's annoyed voice came from his back, her voice only provoked a pleasant chill running up his spine. He turned around to find a blue eyed, blonde haired beauty, and he couldn't avoid to stare at her from head to toes. Contrary to the high heels sandals and colorful dress which he expected when he heard the soft and firm, albeit annoyed voice, she was wearing a tight black suit minus the jacket, the vest hugged her waist and she even had a black tie on. He never thought someone would actually wear a tie for the fun of it._

 _"She? I thought I was getting a Doctor McKay? They guy who ended up with the snake in the head?" He asked, confused, his words mingling with the soft clicks of her heels._

 _"Well then, let me get your fact's straight, the civilian scientist you are talking about would be Doctor Carter. Doctor McKay is my husband, and I'm pretty sure he didn't have any symbiote implanted, nor have he dared to travel through the gate. And to answer your former question, I don't believe they would have known my name if it was just a regular robbery, would they?" she smiled at him, again he felt a current going through his body._

 _"Then... if you are so sure, Doctor, how didn't they manage to take you?" Jack smirked and then, Carter rolled her eyes._

 _"Sam has a good number of different martial arts belts, son. She defended herself in a hand to hand combat. When the men were down, she called the Air Force. Someone saw the assault and called the police too. The whole thing is taped," Hammond added with a bemused expression, when he saw the incredulous look on Jack's face._

 _"Why did you call the air force and not the police?" he questioned her, and she raised her eyebrow questioningly, "I get it, not a robbery, but what makes you sure you should contact the Air Force?"_

 _"Doctor Mckay," Samuels started and got a glare from Sam, "ehm, Carter, is our foremost expert in Stargate matters, among other things"_

 _"I know that!" Jack almost growled to Samuels, who by his body language was trying to gain some point with the beautiful Doctor. Her reaction to Samuels, a quickly covered up grimace, almost made him smile._

 _"I actually called because I felt the same sensation I feel when I'm around your teammate, Teal'c? And not because I wanted a sitter," she scrunched her nose, not losing eye contact with him while taking a seat, "Thanks," she smiled beautifully to the Major who gave her his seat, managing with a single action to make the young man blush and at the same time make him a bit… jealous? 'Why on Earth should I be jealous?' he thought._

 _"So you get a Military babysitter for free because you 'felt' something?" Jack asked, annoyed, although he didn't know if he was annoyed with her, with the situation, or with himself._

 _"Don't get me wrong, Colonel, this is just as much of an order for me as it is for you," she affirmed and he thought he heard a hint of annoyance and pain in her voice._

 _"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"_

 _"It means I'm stuck with you as much as you are stuck with me… if that's easy enough to understand, Colonel, or should I explain it with apples?" Jack groaned and was about to answer when General Hammond stopped their verbal exchange._

 _"Doctor Carter managed to send an alert to her father… and he asked for you to be posted as her bodyguard of sorts, until we are sure she is safe or we can find the Goa'ulds or former hosts who are trying to get to her."_

 _"Believe me, General. I won't have any issue following your orders." Jack smiled, "How about you Doctor? Will you be able to follow your daddy's orders?" he raised an eyebrow mockingly making her hiss._

 _"Mine are Presidential orders, if you must know." She shrugged, making him frown somewhat disbelievingly. She rolled her eyes as an answer to his expression, "After the incident, I contacted my father, believing he would be kind enough to send me a broken Goa'uld personal shield to fix and/or reverse engineer. Or maybe, just a decent zat'nik'tel, since for some reason the USAF is not letting me near one. However, as an answer I got you. He decided you were to be my… reinforcement." Her controlled voice didn't falter, although something told him she was almost whining._

 _"I'm sorry if I'm blunt, ma'am … but I'm kind of lost here... as far as I know, the President's daughter is 8. So, who the hell is your father?"_

 _"Colonel," Hammond warned, Sam raised her eyebrow not impressed by him. "Sam's father is former General Carter, host of Sel.."_

 _"Holy.. sh...shmokes, that Carter?" She nodded once, now the dumbfounded expression was in her face. She wanted badly to push the Colonel further, she didn't know if it was something about his demeanor or that je-ne-se-quois that she felt when she first laid eyes on him and followed her whenever she set her eyes on him._

 _"As Doctor Carter stated," Hammond intervened before she could decide, "Jacob Carter symbiote, Selmak, sent a message to the President. Since earlier today, both placed on his daughter's safety, the key to keep the alliance with the Tok'ra," Jack raised an eyebrow, and Hammond pressed forward and then play on the remote control Jack hadn't seen until now. His gaze was so fixated on the screen that he missed Doctor Carter moving out to stand by the glass separating them from the gate._

 _"Samantha connection with our former member, Jolinar of Malkshur, can compromise information about the Tok'ra, if she is to fall in the wrong hands. I understand from Jacob's memories she is quite capable of protecting herself. However, my host won't remain calm until further measures to protect her and grant her safety are taken. We are not as many as you are, and we trust you can take action before her fate seals the fate of the Tau'ri with the Tok'ra." The man lowered his head for a second, before continuing, "This is Jacob Carter, what Selmak is saying is... if something happens to my daughter, you won't have an ally in the Tok'ra. If you can only spend one officer for her safety, then I request for him to be Colonel Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill, from the SGC. Since the Tok'ra is closely acquainted with his work"_

 _Hammond pressed stop and turned towards Jack, with a sorrowful expression. He was being asked away of the SGC, because of the tremendous work he was doing out there. He was accepted as her protector because of what he did in the long expanse of his career, which only showed he was the most indicated man around to protect her._

 _Jack searched for his new charge and found her staring into oblivion embracing herself. She felt his eyes on her, burning her. She sighed, she knew the man would hate her but she didn't expect him to hate her that much in just the expanse of minutes, turning around she looked up to find him staring at her with an unreadable expression that she classified at somewhere between angry, torn and accepting._

 _"Don't look at me that way, Colonel." She said clearly, leveling him with her eyes, gaining a point in his respect chart as she did so, "I'm just a former host, which apparently can be enough trouble if I am to fall in the wrong hands"_


	2. Logistics

I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's gray and Wednesday's too. It's Friday, I'm in love! Well, that's so not true and I'm pretty sure I forgot about Thursday. Hmm.

Anyway, surprisingly, there are people following this one too… interesting.

Let's see how many of you get to the end of this… just kidding. I'll shut now and let you read.

Enjoy!

M.

PS: Don't forget that I usually start posting this fast, but that's not a fact that last during the whole thing. L

 **Chapter 2- Logistics**

After they had all but shoved him to her, they moved forward into the meeting. The reason behind the dumbheads presence was intel (or at least they thought that). They were there to introduce the team in charge of finding the possible suspects and tie them to an M.O and a motive, once that was done, depending on whom was involved, the planning on the capture would be in the hands of another team, and combined one (which wasn't something in which Jack had agreed on). However, the set of skeptical looks in both Carter and O'Neill's faces, when the intel team took control of the meeting spoke volumes of how much either trusted in the officers.

"One of our hypothesis led us to believe there's someone who knows about the Stargate, it has to be powerful to move some intel to learn about Doctor Carter relationship with the program and have a good deal of people at disposal to be able to find and attack her." One of them explained, such explanation was quickly refuted by the Doctor with a raised eyebrow

"I agree," she started and the team let a breath out, however short lived, it was, "with the part where you say it has to be someone powerful, but I don't think is powerful in the way you are proposing. The reason is simple, finding out of my relationship with the program is quite easy. It's well known and pretty public that many of my companies had and have a number of contracts with the Government and, particularly with the military. It's also of public knowledge, the records which place me between Cheyenne mountain and DC before this base became fully operational, which, if you are half brained and know what my companies do, then you will extrapolate that in fact, I or people who work for me, we're doing something in Cheyenne mountain. Something technological. If you do a not extensive background check, then you will know that I'm involved in all the projects no matter how big or small they are, it's common knowledge that I am in fact a workaholic...therefore, all information related to my public persona, is actually quite easy to get. Now, if we go with the premise of 'knowing about the Stargate', then… they already know what I, or my companies, did here, and would also know that, unless they have access to an Stargate, my knowledge is unusable. Therefore, if they wanted an expert, or someone who can provide all the details of this facility…. I wouldn't pick me, I would pick one of the technical staff and/or one of the senior members. Thus, your proposal makes no sense to me."

"I agree, anyone with operational knowledge of the SGC, would be a better target in that scene"

"What about…" One man in a suit started, "one of those rogue teams that plagued the NID?"

"I never thought I would see the day one of the NID Agent's themselves accused their coworkers," Carter said, surprised, "Agent Barret, wasn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am"

"We met at a gala of the National Intelligence Department," she explained after the looks she received, "Let's say my line of work forces me to be present on certain occasions, we met in one of those. Agent Barret, are you trying to say that your coworkers might be trying to get me? Wouldn't be easier for them to try and approach me instead?"

"It might, but these rogue teams he's talking about are not nice, and we shot down some of their operations," Jack stopped not knowing if she had enough security level to know more.

"The rogue operatives move under the premise of getting the tech not matter how, and…most of them were comprised of, uhm, buyable people. You wouldn't be too easy to buy since you actually don't need money," Hammond explained.

"I see. Well, it might be possible for them to be behind my almost kidnapping. However, I still believe that in their positions I would have me working on my labs rather than abducting me to work in whatever facilities they might be able to build and hide under the radar"

The room went silent for a while, all the personnel deep in thought.

"Colonel O'Neill, do you know if any vessel of the goa'uld might be hid by some sort of shield?" she turned around to face the Colonel, and he looked at her with a frown.

"You aren't considering that, are you? That's ridiculous!"

"Is it really?"

"Well, at least it seems that way to me"

"Why? Why it could be so preposterous?"

The crowd looked at their exchange as if they both had grown an extra head in the last minutes. Whatever they were talking about didn't make half sense for any of them. What stopped them from continuing was General Hammond clearing his throat.

"If you both are done arguing, would you please share whatever you were discussing with the rest of the room?" Both blushed slightly, and Sam started.

"I was just considering, it might be possible for a Goa'uld vessel to delude our radars and enter Earth on a mission to try and find me." She explained, trying hard not to bite her lower lip in nervousness. Of all the possibilities, that one she didn't like a bit.

"But isn't a bit egocentric to think they would take the chance of being found or killed, or even better, that we find the vessel and get one… while they are out and about trying to find you?" He questioned her, and she glared at him.

"I would, if I was someone else. However, if you stop to think that I have access to the memories of Jolinar of Malkshur, someone who they tried to kill before, is not as unthinkable... They wouldn't be after me per se, they would be after her memories"

"If you put it like that…" he added pensively.

"I know," she sighed distraught

"Well, if those are all the possible scenarios you can think of, we should finish the meeting here and you should go and find any leads that can clear any of the possible scenarios and give us a clearer vision of what's going on. We have a Tok'ra council to convince of Doctor Carter's safety, we might as well start sooner rather than later, dismissed,"

The Doctor approached General Hammond with a smile and told him she was going to find him later, because she had someone else to meet. However, Jack wasn't as lucky and he got caught in several conversations with the airheads.

When he finally was free, he was in a deep need to vent. He checked Tealc's schedule to find out the big guy had left that morning with SG-5. So, with sparring out of the question, he went to his second best place to vent…Daniel's lab.

"Can you believe I got stuck babysitting a damn scientist?" Jack asked, entering Daniel's lab.

"Can you believe I got stuck with a sulking Colonel?" Sam retorted from her position, sitting atop of one of Daniel's work tables. The surprised expression on Jack's face told Daniel he wasn't expecting to find Sam in his lab.

"Uh, guys…. I don't know what's going on between you two, but I guess… if you both got orders, it is a really complicated situation and you should try to make the best of it?" Daniel tried to mediate between the Doctor and the Colonel

"Wait? You know her?" Jack asked, frowning

"Of course, I know Sam! We have been working together since before the first mission, we go way back too," Daniel answered with a smile and Sam raised an eyebrow challenging Jack to continue his line of questioning. "We met at the University when..."

"Daniel…" Jack stopped him raising a hand, "I don't need you whole dating history. I just asked if you knew her," Daniel blushed and muttered something about seeing her like a sister. Seeing her friend so flustered, Sam intervened.

"Daniel is right, Colonel, we should make the most of the situation." she told him, jumping out of the table, making Jack wonder for a second or two how the hell she jumped over those skinny looking heels without breaking them, or her ankle. She smiled politely and rearranged her suit, "Allow me to introduce myself formally, Colonel, I'm Doctor Samantha Carter. And also, let me tell you I've heard a lot about you, and both your adventures and misadventures," she said offering him her hand. Jack raised an eyebrow

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, bodyguard and I've heard nothing about you. I heard something a Doctor Mckay," he frowned. "Supposedly a very interesting guy" Sam smiled and nodded once.

"As I said earlier, Dr Mckay is my husband, for publishing and trajectory reasons I didn't take his last name when we got married."

"Rodney, a.k.a Dr. McKay, was supposed to go on that mission, Jack. However, from what I know from Reynolds, the guy called to cancel because one of his experiment went wrong and made him unavailable. So, instead of rescheduling the whole thing, Sam offered to go... Which ended up with her carrying Jolinar of Malkshur and almost being killed in the process."

"Definitively, not one of my best moments," she huffed, but Jack heard her and raised an eyebrow

"And of course you introduced yourself as Dr McKay"

"Well, yes, I knew If I introduced myself as Dr. Carter, all the paperwork would have to be re done and the mission postponed. Knowing the outcome, I regret I haven't done that"

"Why are you here, Doctor?" She bit her lower lip before answering him, somehow he made her feel things, she wasn't supposed to be feeling. "I'm here to take you home with me, Colonel," she smiled apologetically and blushed furiously when she noticed what she had just said.

"Excuse me?" Jack frowned and she sighed, she didn't expect this to be so complicated.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, but whether I like it or not, you are assigned as my "bodyguard" of sorts, and for that to happen, you will have to come with me to my home and follow me around. Sadly, I cannot put a hold on my life until the things are solved"

"That's what's asked of me," Jack muttered.

"Yeah, well… that's one of the reasons why I didn't join." she smiled tiredly, "Anyway, I could place everything on hold and just stay home and do nothing," Daniel snorted at that, and she glared at him, "or I could at least try to do so. However, if I do it, we will get behind on reverse engineering alien tech; which is a bad thing in my books. Especially, if we are to be ready for when the Goa'uld's decide to attack Earth again," she dismissed but the Colonel still frowned.

"I don't think that's the real issue here, Sam," Daniel started and it was her time to frown, "Jack has a wife and a kid..." Daniel started to explain understanding from where Jack was coming; as soon as he said those words he looked at his friend, and saw understanding dawning on her eyes, "but you already know that, don't you?" .

"Of course I knew, I have read your file, Colonel." She dismissed. He raised his eyebrow at this admission. "You have a quite colorful one, and actually, after my conversation with Daniel, I was going to look out for you, your presence here just took me by surprise."

"You would?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I have an offer to discuss with you, for your family."

"Then offer"

"If you wish, they can move to a condo which I own back in the city, they won't be as far away from you as they will currently be. I know how bad can be for a kid to be away from their paternal figure for too long, strained relationship aren't good for a marriage either. Also, to make it easier on you, I will take full charge of your son's tuition to a school nearby and I'm going to move his papers through, taking that burden out of your wife would be my pleasure and it will be quicker given the fact I know people…. Not having to deal with documentation and your son's academic future, she can focus on the moving and in adapting herself to a new environment. That's if you accept my proposition, of course," She finished softly with a sweet smile on her face, and he felt something stir inside.

"That's very... thoughtful... of you, ma'am." Jack answered blinking a few times, "Thanks. I will extend your offer to my wife."

"Good!" She smiled brightly and then kissed Daniel's cheek, "Now, if you excuse me, I will like to have a word with General Hammond. I also have some experiments to supervise here. Oh! and Colonel? You should go home and have that talk with your wife, and meet me here, let's say in five hours?" She asked from the door, after checking her watch, he nodded once in agreement, "Actually, we should meet at Andrews to take a lift back home," she said and disappeared out of the door when the Colonel nodded. Jack chuckled, and pointed out of the door and over his shoulders.

"A lift? Where the hell does she live? Denver or something?" he snorted again, Daniel pushed his glasses far up his nose, not too sure of how to deliver the news.

"She actually lives between San Diego, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs and DC. The lift is she is talking about," he grimaced, "is probably her private jet."

"A private jet?"

"Well, yes… Sam has quite a large amount of companies, most of them in the tech area... she's good"

"How do you know her? The real history, Daniel"

"You were the one who interrupted me before," he pointed out, raising his eyebrow making Jack groan, "Well, as I mentioned, we met at the university"

"You were 15 when you started your university, space-monkey"

"Yes, and she was 14. Don't let her looks deceive you, she's really bright. We both took french as one of our minors and we hit off, she's like the sister I've never had. Then, she went into Engineering, Astrophysics, Robotics and God only knows what else, and I went into, well, my fields. However, she never let us lose touch. Therefore, I was there when she got married, which I was against, and when her daughter was born."

"She has a daughter?"

"Yes, Jessica, if I'm not wrong, she's Charlie's age"

"But if she's younger than you…"

"Yes, as you might imagine, she was quite young"

"And…"

"Well, a couple a years ago, I lost her. I couldn't find her anywhere, I tried her corporations, but she is never still. And her workers wouldn't give me information about her whereabouts. I tried her husband, but he doesn't like me that much… so he didn't help either. And then, next thing I know, Catherine extends me an offer and, nerding out in one of the many supercomputers 26 levels under Cheyenne Mountain, I found her." Daniel still remembered the bright smile she gave him when she took a break and saw him.

"So, she was part of the Stargate Project," Jack affirmed

"Yes, she developed the dialing program, the supercomputers are all her work…and she was the one who talked to Catherine about me. Everything was set by then; however, she had some other project or projects going on. So, she had to go and that's why Catherine went to search for me."

"Okay, so she is married, has a kid, is there anything else I should know?" Daniel thought about it for a second or two, then he denied with his head.

"I think that's everything I'm willing to tell you about her. For the rest, you should ask her, or learn from her if you want, I won't be the one discussing her most private life"

"You know I hate surprises, don't you?"

"Yes, but this is different, Jack, it's my best friend and I won't disclose anything I don't feel comfortable sharing. Just like I won't share anything about you with her..." Daniel stopped and looked at him, "and you are stalling, you don't want to tell Sarah about this"

"I'm not stalling… I'm just carefully considering how to approach the subject"

"You are stalling,"

"I'm not"

"Are too"

"I'm… you know what, I'm going to go and talk with her"

"You do that," Daniel smiled knowingly and Jack walked a couple steps back, then he sighed.

"You are right, I have no idea how to tell this to Sarah," he sighed, plopping himself in Daniel's chair.

"Just explain it to her, I bet she will understand"

"You know her Daniel, she was jealous of you, what do you think she will think about me spending all my time with another woman?" Daniel grimaced.

He remembered quite well when, after following Jack to his apartment, Sarah started to knock at his door and demanding 'Danielle' to open the door and let her husband out, and Janet confessed to him once that Sarah had gone to her house too.

"Jack, I know you love her, and I know you won't look or touch another woman inappropriately if you can avoid it, but Sam offered a condo for free and if I know her well enough, it will come with groceries and all and I'll bet your son will end up in one of the best schools in the area. Yes, I know you make enough money, but think about it, Jack. You won't be paying more than the minimum as home expenses and you will be providing to you kid a great education, at least as far as this goes… and maybe saving some more money for his college funds, you know how expensive that can be. Moreover, if you or Sarah doesn't like it… she can always come back or you can ask for a replacement, and it won't look like you didn't try"

"You are right, Daniel… I gotta run then"

"Oh, and Jack!" Daniel screamed and walked to the corridor where Jack was slowly turning around, "just don't tell Sarah, who you will be taking care of until she accepts"

"Why?" Daniel came closer to him and looked at the floor

"Just trust me on this one?" He asked. Jack glared at him and he approached his friend, "Sam's also a well-known socialite, apart from being an overall genius businesswoman, she's a philanthropist...meaning she's probably in many of those magazines Sarah loves to read…and if she looked stunning today…" Daniel trailed, remembering the times he saw Sam ready for an event.

"Got it…Anything else?"

"Nope... You are good"

The elevator doors opened and he found inside the object of his last conversation.

"I thought you already left, Colonel," she told him with a smile.

"I'm on it, ma'am. So, mess hall?" he asked, looking at the bright numbers

"Yes, apparently, it is where I'll find Dr. Felger currently." They both looked the progression of the elevator "Oh, one last thing, Colonel, if they are coming today, there's no need to pack light, but if you still prefer to do so, then I can always send someone else to pick them, or the rest of your things later on." The cart stopped and she waved leaving the confined space. "See you later, Colonel"

The officer by his side, followed her movements until Jack cleared his throat annoyed

"That's woman, airman. Not a piece of meat!"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir"


	3. Pre mission (telling Sarah)

**Hey there!**

 **Thanks for the reviews, now, let's hope I don't disappoint you while we move forward! For me it feels darker than any other of my writings, but the show must go on… so, here we are…**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 3 – Pre-mission (telling Sarah)**

He drove home slower than he normally would, even with all the … benefits… Doctor Carter had given him to look at, the weight of knowing he was about to enter willingly to a mine field was somewhat terrifying. Yes, the big bad special ops Goa'uld arse kicker was afraid of telling his wife about his change in destination.

It wasn't the change itself or the how she was going to take it what bothered him, it was the fact he knew too darn well how she was going to react to his news what was making him sulk. After all the years they had together, he knew a simple order like this one would end up with him being subjected to at least 12 years of recriminations about his constantly missing status during the childhood of their shared son. Then, at some point, the (not so) little green monster of his wife would make its grand entrance and then, all the times she thought he had betrayed her would come up to the light (again).

And even if this time around he could make a good case out of the situation, (especially related to Charlie), he knew he had this humongous ability to stick his foot in his mouth whenever he was confronted with the previously mentioned situation. He loved his wife, but her jealousy was capable of driving the most peaceful man into a not so calm one. Basically, the years as a special ops agent added to the welcome home fight was what made him able to survive the torture he went through both Earthbound and out of world.

He sighed, heard his kid laughing and thought in the world of good this situation would bring to his kid. If what Daniel told him was true, Charlie would be able to enjoy of some months (yes, he expected months) in the same way the most privileged did…if not, well, at least he would know what a city was like. He shook his head, Daniel was sure of what he told him about the Doctor's offer and the man knew her since forever, and he had to be right… right? He could kill himself with overthinking this situation or he could do the brave thing and confront it.

He just wasn't in the mood.

"Honey, I'm hooome!" Jack chanted entering into his home, trying the best not to look so nervous.

"Dad!" Charlie came running as response to his call, it was surprising to say the least that his son had found time to separate himself from the computer enough to welcome him home.

"Hey kid," he said, ruffling his hair, "how's the conquering going?" Charlie rolled his eyes

"I finished Age of Empires eons ago, dad!"

"Does your sim got a girlfriend?" he joked

"Yuck! Dad… that's so gross."

"You'll see… you will want a girlfriend soon… and you will come to me for advice!" he laughed macabrely. Charlie's answer was a simple glare… he got that one from his mother, he thought.

"Charlie? Who's at the door? Jack? What are you doing here so early? We didn't expect you for another 2 days or so," Sarah interrupted the exchange.

"Charlie, can you give us some time, please? I need to talk with your mom"

"Sure, dad, shout if you need me to defend you!" Charlie shouted, laughing wholeheartedly, before disappearing upstairs. 'I might as well do,' The oldest O'Neill thought and quietly waited until he heard his door close, then he pointed to the living room to Sarah. She frowned, but walked before him and sat on the couch, while Jack paced, not too sure on how to start to break the news.

"Out with it, Jack. I haven't seen you so nervous since the day Charlie shot your gun," she tried to joke but it only made it worse. The mention of that day did nothing to calm him, on the contrary, only managed to make him even more nervous than at the beginning. He turned around and observed their garden, and with a sigh he left it out

"I've been reassigned." The words came out in a whisper, however, the answer to them was quick and loud.

"What? Where? How long will you be gone this time around?" Sarah shot quickly, her face transforming from the peaceful demeanor, he loved to the fierce one he was so used to.

"There's no definite where, it will be around some places"

"And you pretend us to wait for you?! Or to go jumping cities with you?"

"It's just a temporary position," he continued not listening to her, because he knew the moment he paid attention to what she was saying, the fight would start. "But they still aren't sure how long it will be; it can be a couple of weeks. It could be longer"

"Longer? Like two months? Six?"

"I don't know. They didn't specify, until the mission is done, I guess"

"The mission, surely you at least know what the mission is! Or are you going once again on a wild goose chase? Your son is alive; you know?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. He knew if he fell for that one, the discussion would be never finished.

"They want me to be the bodyguard of an important scientist."

"A bodyguard?" Sarah interrupted him, with a dry laugh, "but you are an air force Officer, why don't they get a real bodyguard, why you?" Jack shrugged

"What I can tell you is this, the scientist's life is in danger and the knowledge in the Doc's head is very important for national security. Which grants a special ops agent for safety issues," he explained praying she would understand it wasn't his choice.

"Former," she hissed. He raised his head at this comment

"Yeah, that," he waved his hand dismissively, former special ops or special ops, it didn't matter really, he was assigned to the mission and unless something was really wrong, he planned to see it end. She turned her back at him to gather her thoughts.

"So you are okay with leaving us? For an unaccountable amount of time?" She asks, her tone full of tears.

"Is not like I asked for it, Sarah…"

"I sure hope not! You are going to disappear on me for an undisclosed amount of time again, and what? Hmm? What are you planning for me to do? Sit and wait until you decide to get back? Or just until you decide you want me again? Jesus Christ! Jack, tell me! Something! Anything!... oh! I knew I should have divorced you before,"

"Come on! Listen to me first! For crying out loud!" He tried, his temper had a limit too. He said, taking a couple steps back from her.

"I am listening! That's all I've been doing for as long as I've known you!" She exclaimed, coming back to stand nose to nose with him. He closed his eyes, and counted to ten and tried to remember all the things Teal'c had been trying to teach him about kel'no'reem.

He didn't remember much.

"I'm waiting, Jack," she hissed.

"Okay… They reassigned me this morning, I start in less than 4 hours. However," he raised his hand preventing her from start another tirade, "The Doctor was present during the mission debrief and knowing of Charlie and you, extended an invitation for both of you to move to a condo closer to where I will be spending most of my time, so you can be near and I can visit you whenever I'm free. She also offered to take care of Charlie's tuition for school and make all the arrangements for his transfer, and," he looked at her angry expression. "what?"

"She? You are going to spend most of your day with another woman?"

"Oh for heaven's sakes, Sarah! If you let me finish you would know she's married, she has a kid... so do I! It's a mission, all I have to do is to keep her breathing while others find the one behind her situation, and then we come home. We talked about your jealousy issues before, maybe you should find a therapist again"

"Are you…!"

"Anyways!" he continued not leaving space for her to do anything but pout. "I don't have any options but you do. You can stay here with Charlie and call your dad so he stays with you as he used to while I'm out… or, you can both come with me. From what I have been told I would be a very nice condo for free… in San Diego apparently." He knew he had gotten to her with the mention of San Diego.

"Choice? You call that a choice?" she laughed sarcastically, but it was more for show than a real one. "Of course, there's nothing to choose, I have to keep an eye on you... and on her or who knows what she might try to do with you! when would we leave?"

"In 3 hours." She raised an eyebrow, "she told me there's no need to pack light, so you might as well throw everything you find you might need in a suitcase and I go tell Charlie to do the same. We can see what to do if we need more stuff depending on how the thing goes… and I'm going to call your dad for him to come and check the house every now and then." She nodded quietly and with an eager step she started to go upstairs. She stopped halfway through with a frown and turned around.

"Who is she, anyway?"

"Doctor Carter, I don't think you've heard of her. I know I haven't until a few hours ago," he answered coming to a stop too.

"No, you are right, it doesn't ring a bell," she said merrily now and continued her way towards their room. Jack sighed, he only hoped for this behavior not to come up while they were in Andrews. Or in public…

Later that day, Jack grabbed his duffel bag and placed it on his shoulders, before taking the gigantic suitcase piece plus hand bag, Sarah had managed to put together for her. He threw his duffel in the back and then loaded her bags 'carefully' with a huff and then, he went back in for the second gigantic piece which belonged to Charlie and loaded it snugly in the bag of his truck. He was pretty sure they would be getting a lot of attention with such a carriage in a military base.

When they entered Andrews, the airman at the gate told him the civilian Doctor had arrived half an hour ago, and for some reason he felt his heart beat faster. Then he was pointed towards the General's office. He asked for directions and quickly started to move through the base, a complaint about him walking too fast later, he remembered his family was with him and even if he could push Sarah to walk faster, it wouldn't be fair for Charlie's shorter legs.

"What are we doing here, Jack?" Sarah asked, panting a little when they finally stopped.

"Doctor Carter asked us to meet her here. She has some sort of transport prepared, once I'm sure what it is, I will accompany you to wherever we are going and then…I'm going to go and find our stuff." He explained and then he spotted the General's Office. "Wait here"

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked, frowning. He pointed to the sign which clearly showed whose office it was and therefore, his destination. She nodded curtly, he approached the door and was about to knock when it was opened.

"Colonel O'Neill!" Sam exclaimed from the other side of the door, smiling when she noticed his still raised hand. Then she checked her watch. "I'm glad to see you are on time. I love that about military people, so punctual. It helps immensely when you are on a tight schedule, see you soon Johnstone," she smiled to the secretary and moved outside of the General's office towards his currently pacing wife, she saw both the woman and child and asked, "Are they your family?" But before he had time to answer her, she was already facing Sarah, who had brusquely stopped her walk.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Carter, you must be Sarah O'Neill?" she asked softly, extending her hand, but when she didn't get a handshake she quickly retrieved her hand, "I hope you are not one for air kisses and hugs, I don't really like sharing my personal space with almost strangers," she confessed. Something inside her plus the report she had over Sarah O'Neill, told her she should tread this specific water carefully.

The moment Sarah spotted the Doctor, she fell hell froze, 'a scientist' Jack said… and her mind provided her with a clumsy short, rounded woman with glasses and pimples and greasy brown hair. Her mind certainly didn't expect a tall, blonde haired, blue eyes woman, who apparently was graceful and sweet… the kind of woman that fell under her husband type. The surprise in the appearance of the Doctor made impossible for Sarah to stop herself from look at her from head to toe, and then, something clicked and with widened eyes, she recognized the woman.

"Samantha Carter?" She asked in a low voice with was part awe, part doubt.

"I do hope you haven't read the bad ones," she interrupted Sarah scrunching her nose, noticing quickly from where the recognition must have come.

"What?" Sarah asked, confused

"Ah, your reaction… I take you recognized me from the news or magazines or hopefully from the scientific journals"

"Oh, yes. I read about you," Sarah nodded with a dismissive smile. She read about the philanthropist Samantha Carter, owner of a massive fortune, with a perfect life, and perfect teeth and probably with enough surgery to justify that body of hers which she flaunted over in the thousands of parties she was often seen.

"I just hope you don't believe everything you read," she shrugged, not at all fazed by being in front of someone who knew her from magazines. "Don't worry, I'm not half of what they write." She finished the conversation taking her attention towards the last member of the O'Neill family. "and who is the little man?"

"Ah, my son… Charlie. Tyler Charles O'Neill," Sarah introduced him.

"Hey, do you mind if I call you Charlie? Or how can I call you?" she asked politely.

"Charlie's okay" he answered not at all impressed by her. She loved that about children, they didn't care who the adult was while it 'adulted' in the right way.

"And how old are you, Charlie?"

"I'm 12"

"Nice! And do you like computers? Or you are more like your dad and like to be outside all the time?"

"Both, I guess," He shrugged. She smiled, she knew enough about 12 years old to know he was just being his usual self.

"Good! Then you would love your new school. But please tell me if you don't so we can find you something else."

"I get to choose?" he asked, amazed.

"Not the first one, but you can choose another if you don't like that one…" she assessed him for a while, "You have to give it at least a month of try before you can approach me over the subject, deal?" he nodded eagerly. "Good! are we all ready to leave?"

"Doctor Carter... I don't know if I'm just not getting it, but how exactly are we leaving?" Jack questioned, looking for confirmation about what Daniel said of her owning a jet.

"Oh! I'm sorry," she blushed, "I guess I'm so used to coming and going that I forgot to explain how I do so. The jet is in the flight lane. Since, I'm never here for long the Air Force lends me the apron." she explained.

"Sam is always welcomed to use our flight lane, especially with her generous donations to our base." The General commented, making Jack raise an eyebrow at the use of her short name. 'What's with the woman and Generals?' he thought. "Colonel O'Neill, it was a long time not seeing you around"

"Oh, yes… we've been kinda busy," Jack justified, he used to spend a lot of time in Andrews before the existence of the SGC.

"With your… deep space radar telemetry"

"Of course, it's so damn fascinating! You have no idea," Sam couldn't help but snort, and she got a confused look from the General and a slight glare from the Colonel.

"I'm sorry, Colonel O'Neill, General… I... I was just remembering something I heard earlier today. Highly classified jokes are annoying, you have to laugh all by yourself…" she explained gaining a glare from the Colonel, "Anyways, I hate to call your re-acquaintance short but I do have a schedule. General, it was lovely to see you again." she smiled and kissed the old man in the cheek. "Colonel, shall we go?"

With a smile, a quick wave and a thank you, she started to walk confidently, not leaving them much more to do than follow. She slowed down to allow the O'Neill family to come closer.

"General Friedman is like a father to me, Daniel and I spend a lot of time with his family when we were shipped to college." She explained her actions when saying goodbye more for Sarah's sakes than anything, "Colonel, I take you have some luggage? Perhaps, I can show them the way to the lane and you can go and grab it?"

He nodded and walked at a quick pace until he disappeared from their view, and she set a slower pace taking into account that there was a child among the two adults. They walked at such pace that allowed Jack to get into the lane almost at the same time they did.

At the flight lane, he stopped to observe the plane, judging by the looks, they were about to embark on a beechcraft Premier IA.

"Please, go ahead," he heard Doctor Carter said, pointing to the stairs of the plane. Instead of just walking up, she turned around and went straight to talk with the officers at the side. With a frown, he followed her instruction mostly to get rid of his heavy cargo. However, once he was finished she was still nowhere near the insides of the plane.

He spotted her talking with a couple of Airmen, remembering she said something about a schedule he frowned and walked to her.

"Is there any issue?" he asked, and got four noes. And then, they continued exchanging some preflight notes as if he hadn't interrupted them before.

The moment she felt his presence near, she wanted to turn around, but she fought that urge, when he interrupted them, it took her longer than usual to go back to what she was previously doing and that was something she wasn't used to or liked. Soon, she dismissed the crew with a smile.

"All set," she said, tapping her notes before getting up on the plane. He looked around and followed her to the cockpit expecting to see the pilot and copilot in there, or someone following them. But surprisingly, he only found her.

"What are you doing?" he asked seriously, when he saw her sitting in the main seat.

"Getting ready to go home," she explained not even looking up to him.

"Ready to go home? Where's the pilot?"

"I am the pilot, Colonel," she turned around to glance at him, then she returned to what she was previously doing.

"Not with my family in it," Jack stopped her, stilling her hands. A current passed through both and they both let the other go as quickly as it had happened. She shook her head to gain control of her own reactions, then she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Look, I have enough flight hours to be a senior pilot of an airliner. I have not only this plane, but others. I been flying things since I was twelve, granted my first flight was with a beaten up Cessna A188B-300 Gtruck to fumigate a field without my father knowing, and not these kind of crafts. I do have a couple of degrees which help me understand better the aerodynamics' of the crafts and I have flown several of your military planes for testing. And more over… I do have a pilot license"

"You can point all your degrees if you want, Doctor...but,"

"Colonel," she sighed, "I certainly can call for a pilot, but it will take them a flight to here to get one I trust. Since the one who brought me isn't available for today, I didn't fly this morning and I did sleep before I came here, if my status is what is worrying you... Honestly, we can go now, I won't do anything crazy or dangerous. Or we can wait for the pilot in here, which will be causing troubles to the base since it will mean another private plane will be using the facilities and, you still would have to come with me on the second plane because I simply can't leave my crafts sitting in a military base just because a Colonel doesn't trust on my piloting skills!"

"Ok! We go…" he stated

"Awesome!"

"But I'll be in the cockpit too"

"Then welcome aboard CoPilot," she beamed at him and while he took the second seat, his gut told him this mission would be his doom.


	4. Adaptation

**Hey there… I think I agree with you... this AU Jack is not sounding that much as Jack O'Neill… but he will. (I hope) He's just … getting acquainted with his new situation and there are issues that make him somewhat different (Charlie's alive!).**

 **And apparently this is a sloooow burning SJ one, we will get there!**

 **Anyhow! Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **PS: I'm not liking this chapter as much….**

 **Chapter 4 – Adaptation**

It was seconds after his bum touched the co-pilot seat that he heard some shuffling from the back, and before he could wonder what was causing it, the (angry) face of his wife was looking at him from the small divide between the cabin and the seats.

"Excuse me, but what's going on?" she asked without taking her accusing eyes out of her husband.

"Ah, we are getting ready for depart, Ms. O'Neill, or would you prefer me to call you Sarah?"

"Ms. O'Neill is okay," Sarah answered with a smirk.

"Sarah is fine..." Jack override with a huff.

"Ah, Ms. O'Neill," Sam continued, yes, she heard the Colonel but, she was considered a smart woman and as such, she knew she had a pair of eyes she wanted to keep attached to her own head. "It will be another 5 to 10 minutes before we take off, we just need to finish the preflight schedule and then we are a go."

"We? And the pilot?" Sarah asked somewhat scared.

"As I was saying to your husband, I'm a qualified pilot and I will be taking you a private terminal in San Diego outskirts. If you prefer your husband can fly with you in the back, he just offered to be the co-pilot to take care I don't do anything which might scare you, or your son. I was about to tell him there's no door between the cabin and the rest of the plane so if something happens, anyone can just come over or shout from the back,"

"You are the pilot?" She asked and Sam could easily read distrust in the woman's face.

"Yes," she answered simply

"No, no… Jack should help you out in case something happens," she told them and retreated to the back, her doubts weren't so subtle when she told Charlie loudly to buckle up tight.

With a snort, Sam continued doing her check ups and soon, the aircraft was moving and they were airborne. However, truth to her word Samantha Carter, after a quick calculation of her trajectory in miles, tank capacity and speed, set her cruise speed several mph lower than she would normally when travelling alone. Her usual short travel of 2:15ish hours at full speed took almost 3. It was so rare of her to take that much time in such short travel that, when she finally got in the area where her private lane was, the tower contacted her immediately to ask if there was any issue. With a glance from the corner of her eye to the somewhat guilty looking Colonel, she said she had valuable cargo which needed a safer travel.

"When we land, you can go to them and I can take care of the post flight, that way it won't be as long as if I have to explain why an unknown military officer was sitting in the cabin"

"Sure," he said with a shrug. Not that much later, they descended softly. Both her taking off and landing skills actually surprised the experienced Colonel sitting beside her.

"It wasn't so bad, wasn't it?" She smirked without actually looking at him. "You should go to the back, if they see you here when they move the plane, then it will be hell to explain," He didn't say a word simply stood and went towards the back, stopping by the divide he said over his shoulders, "It wasn't bad at all"

She finished all the post flight process with a silly grin on her face, while he sat in the back with his family, when she stood up and had a visual of what was going on in the back, she sighed. She had completely forgotten they were travelling with luggage, as she rarely did. (She had things scattered all over the world and if something was missing she either opted for something else or bought it). But there, in the back of her little private jet, two gigantic suitcases were put across the two seats in the back, and the seatbelt was around them. 'Well, at least he is resourceful and the bags are safe', she thought.

In the two seats looking towards the cabin, sat Sarah and Charlie and the Colonel was standing leaning on the back of the seat in which Charlie was. The stopped their conversations the minute she turned around to face them. She walked towards them and grimaced slightly when she saw another small suitcase and a duffel back over the remaining seats.

"You never told us where to put them," he explained apologetically after seeing her expression change.

"Don't worry. It's my bad…I never or rarely travel with anything but myself and my laptop," She said shouldering a backpack that was hidden in a compartment, "therefore, I completely forgot about yours. When you get back home when this … pesky mission of yours ends… then do make whomever brings you home remember to show you where you can put them to travel more comfortable," she smiled, "Ah, I'm all done, we can go now." She added turning around to go towards the small door/stairs of the plane.

She went down and was quickly received with a couple of people. While, the O'Neill's stood behind moving their luggage. She turned around and saw they didn't follow, and this time she did remember the luggage of the family which had joined her on her way back.

"Philips?" she asked and someone waved to a man who was waiting in the back.

"Ma'am?"

"Can you and Richards, help them with the luggage?" she asked politely pointing to the plane, "There are two suitcases, a carry on and a duffel bag, inside the plane"

"Sure, ma'am." He nodded, surprised by that fact, his boss and most of the guests, never carried anything but a backpack or briefcase, "should I bring them to the cars?"

"Yes, please," and the man turned around towards the plane.

The adults of the family frowned when two men in suits came to the plane, and they pointed each other the suitcases, and walked towards them.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"The boss said there are two suitcases, a carry on and a duffel bag which should be taken to the car. We intend to do what we were told," one of them explained.

"I can take them," Jack affirmed politely, shouldering his duffel again.

"Sir, we don't mean any disrespect, but … our boss just told us to grab them and take them to the car, and sincerely, we do love our jobs, so please, let us take them," one pleaded and Sarah glared at him, so he let them be. "The boss is down, if you don't find her roaming the hangar, then she's probably at the main office, anyone around can point you there"

"Is it kinda late to be still working around?" he asked checking his watch.

"This is a 24/7 facility, as most of the places in which the boss sets foot are."

He thanked him and nodded Sarah and Charlie to get out of the way, and they did. As the guy said they spotted her roaming the hangar, she was walking around a small plane, with a bunch of guys.

"Whoa!" Charlie said looking around. And Jack was surprised at the sight too, at the private hangar there were around 10 different planes, jets and even a helicopter and a glider. Some of them nicely parked and some hung from the ceiling. All of them with a nice ornate golden C painted around.

Sam turned around when she heard the exclamation and saw the O'Neill's kid looking around wide and bright eyed, and smiled at his reaction. Oh, yes remembered the first time she was in a hangar, it wasn't one like this. She was spending her summer at her grandma's farm and the neighbor invited Mark and her to join him when he fumigated the fields, the hangar was small and for one plane only, and the plane wasn't anything near fancy. But she was barely 8 at that time and couldn't care less. The moment she was airborne she knew she found something she loved as much as science. She finished her conversation and saw than both Phillips and Richards were back from their assignment and smiled walking to the gawking O'Neill and his parents.

"Cool, isn't?" she told Charlie, who nodded eagerly. "We are ready to go now, Richards will take you to the condo," she said pointing to one of the man they met before. "We will follow them with Phillips, that way you know where they are staying," Sarah opened her mouth but a glare from Jack stopped her from utter a word. "We can stop for a late dinner if you like," she said looking around the hangar with a small frown.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nope, I guess Rodney went back," she said not explaining much.

When the group started to move towards the front, Jack saw how the two men from before moved quickly to beat them out.

It was already dark outside, but the entrance was very well illuminated and it was easy to spot their transport, the in the curb two goldish land rover Freelander waited. One man was beside each of them.

"Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Neill," Richards said from the first car. While Phillips smiled at his boss while she walked towards the second. Jack moved towards the first when he heard Richards calling him, however as Doctor Carter kept moving, he frowned.

"This way, Colonel O'Neill," Phillips said confirming what he had thought.

"I will be in the back," Jack smiled and ruffled his kid hair, before closing the door and walking to the second waiting car.

"Wherever you feel more comfortable, Colonel," Samantha said and he looked up to notice both the front and the passenger door were opened. She slid in the back sit and placed the backpack he noticed her carrying around. She put it in the middle seat beside her and took a laptop out of it, "the view is nicer from the front," she said the light of the computer giving her a weird glow. "and we won't move until you decide…" she muttered.

He closed the door and slid in the seat next to her, he decided he would have enough time to do sightseeing if his hopes of finding the guilty party where solely on the dumb head squad. Then he looked to the woman beside him,

"How come you are a pilot but you don't drive?" he questioned with a small wonder. The snort from the driver was somewhat telling.

"Do you have anything to share Phillips?" she asked the driver with a serious tone, however, the darkish space covering the glint in her eyes. The driver just looked at her from the rear mirror but didn't say anything. "I do drive, Colonel. However, it's easier for me to work when I don't drive, or pilot."

"I see," he affirmed, surprised by the cold way she treated her driver when she was all polite smiles with his family.

"I like to do both things, but I already flew today and that itself, although relaxing, puts me behind on several projects. There's no point on adding another 2 hours to it, when I know Phillips and Richards are perfectly capable of driving me around," He looked at her, even when she was talking with him, she kept typing around.

"Multitasking does have a limit," he muttered making her lips curve slightly upwards. He tapped his fingers in his tights, then he shifted. Trying hard to concentrate in the view but never one to be still for much, sitting around for 3 hours then moving to a car which he wasn't driving, was … boring.

"No wonder your file mentions a possible attention deficit disorder," she turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Should I pull out the dvd player? Or talking with be enough distraction?"

"Huh?"

"You are tapping your fingers, or shifting or looking around, or rotating your thumbs, or tapping your feet… There's only so much concentration one can achieve with constant distraction"

"I'm..." he started, but he didn't feel like apologizing for being himself.

"Please don't say you are sorry, I mean, you went the whole darn briefing with half of Washington like that, plus as I told you, I read your file. Therefore, I would be mildly disappointed if you were to apologize for being yourself."

"I wasn't going to"

"Good, if it makes you feel better, I can't sit still either unless deeply into this…" she could see he had raised an eyebrow as the lights from the outside crept into the inside of the car, "and I spent half of that meeting going through other stuff in my mind to appear to be half interested in what they were saying," She closed her computer with a sigh, "I believe I'm not in the right mindset to continue, and you didn't answer my question," she added placing her laptop in its place and then, moved the backpack to the front seat.

"I would go for the dvd, I'm not a talker"

"I'm not a talker either..." she smiled

"It doesn't show," he mumbled

"Well, I'm not good at being around people I don't know in situations not under my control," she shrugged. Another snort came from Philips, she rolled her eyes playfully, "yes, I know Phillips I'm kind of a control freak"

"I didn't say a word, ma'am"

"But you were thinking it," she pointed and the driver just smiled. "It's in the back?" she asked and he nodded. Sam unclasped her seatbelt and turned around kneeling in the seat. Jack frowned half surprised, it was just then when they had to do a turn and she ended up nose to nose with the Colonel, who grabbed her around the waist to keep her from tumbling backward when they completed the turn.

The Doctor blushed fiercely when she felt his hands in her waist, and bit her lower lip when she inhaled deeply and all she could smell was whatever cologne he was wearing, "I thought I got more time before the turn," she whispered breathily. The Colonel could only nod before she moved back towards the place where she was kneeling at before, he frowned when his hands refused to let her go at once, they remained in the place he put them until she was out of his reach and there wasn't anything left for them than lower them down. He was so concentrated on his own reaction to notice how her body shivered when his hands caressed her back when he slowly let her go.

"Here it is!" she exclaimed happily, when she managed to find the box she was searching for. She turned around and gave the box to him, which he placed between the two of them the moment she was back in her side. She opened the lid and took a portable dvd player, and a contraption of sorts which she quickly put between the front seats, "The other car had it already placed, for your son…" she explained while she stuck the player in its place, "There! Now we only have to pick something to watch. Anything in there is okay by me."

He looked at the box and read the labels of the dvd's that sat organized by name inside the box. He took one out, looking at it incredulously.

"Found one?" she asked seeing him grab a box.

"The Simpsons?" he asked curiously, showing her the box. She shrugged.

"Who doesn't like the Simpsons?" He just nodded in agreement, his mind provided with a quick 'Sarah, doesn't' while she grabbed the box and put the dvd inside. "Any particular chapter? Or from the beginning?"

"Anything is fine by me," she smiled and soon the cartoon sounds took over the formerly silent car.

"To answer my own question, Rodney does," she muttered.

"What?"

"He hates the Simpsons… 'they are too normal' he says"

"You said he left?" he asked casually. She nodded, "How did you know? You just looked around the hangar… or should I be worried because you are some sort of mind reader future seeing mad scientist," she snorted at that.

"Just mad scientist… all my planes were accounted for, his wasn't in. Therefore, he left"

And that's was the last of their conversation, they got absorbed into the series and they laughed wholeheartedly at the jokes, they were so enthralled by it that they didn't feel the car come to a stop.

"We are here ma'am," Phillips said, getting her attention. "Would you like me to come up to help with the luggage or should I wait down for you?"

"There's no need," Jack said, "I can take them all"

"You heard the man, Phillips…" She smiled, and thanked the driver when he opened her door. She went around the car and towards the entrance, while Jack walked to the other car in front of which Sarah and Charlie were standing looking up.

"Whoa, that's a big building," Charlie pointed, "Is this where we are going to live?"

"Yup… it seems like it"

"Cool"

"Whatcha thinking, honey?"

"Nothing much, really. Just hoping it is a nice place"

"Well, if we actually move then we can check for ourselves"

"Where's…?"

"The boss went inside, she needs to sign you in and get you the safety key." Richards explained bringing Sarah's suitcase with him. "Let me help you out"

"There's no need," Jack told him. "I can take them." He rearranged the things in a way he could roll both of the big ones and the small one plus his were up them.

"I won't argue with that!" Richards told him. "Have a good night, Ma'am. Sir. Colonel"

Jack nodded and started to walk towards the entrance, while both Sarah and Charlie waved to the driver.

They walked into the lobby of the building, Jack with his mind set in finding the Doctor who shouldn't have left without him and his wife and kid looking around in awe. The lobby was huge, there were several places to seat, it looked expensive and safe. There was a corridor in the middle of it which was not guarded but it had some sort of safety glass doors. To the left there was what it looked like a restaurant or bar and to the right a reception. The piano sound gave it a chic touch.

And his charge was nowhere to be seen.

"You got to be kidding me," Sarah whispered, and Jack turned around to see what could cause such reaction. One of the seating areas, surrounded by comfortable looking chairs there was a black grand piano, and in it … Doctor Carter sat playing. She turned around feeling observed and saw the family looking at her, she smiled and closed the piano and grabbed an envelope before joining them.

"Here you are! This are your security keys, and there's a spare key for you upstairs. Shall we go?" She walked towards the safety area and pressed a card key in a reader, and the double glass door opened. Then she went for the elevators and pressed the up button. "Just press the card key, in the reader there, and for the elevator. It needs to read the card and it will take you to your floor"

"How high are we going?"

"I'm not too sure of the measurements of the building, but on standard measurements we are going 135 or 155 meters up, that's around 442 or 508 feet up, but my calculations can be wrong…" she explained, "there are some factors that can add or take meters out of it"

"35 floors?" Charlie asked looking at the numbers that were lighting up quickly.

"36 actually, but that one has a stair up."

"And where are we going?" he asked again seeing how the numbers keep growing.

"35th"

And then the elevator doors were opened and they went out. They came to stop into a small lobby and only a double door sat in there, on the other side a single door announced that was for personnel only. She followed their gaze.

"Oh, that's the entrance to the elevators maintenance room, it's on the other half of the 36th," then she walked to the door and opened the lock and the heavy looking doors.

"I hope you find it agreeable, otherwise we could find you another place to live," she offered, moving to the side of the door to give them enough room to go in. "The main room is upstairs, there are four smaller ones to the left side of the building." She pointed, "there's a kitchen, dining room, living room, music room, office and family room, oh and a laundry room." She listed, "Please feel free to use it as you please."

"Can I pick my room?" Charlie asked and his parents nodded, and he flew out of their sight.

"I thought you said a small condo," Sarah commented

"Well, that's what I thought too," he answered, while Sam pretended she didn't hear the comments.

She didn't remember mentioning the condo being small, she considered that maybe Daniel had commented it to the Colonel in the conversation she knew for sure her longtime friend and the Colonel had once she left. If it was so, he probably was thinking about her weekend house in Encintas, in which he stayed more than once, and not about this one. She turned around and found herself looking at the general direction of the kitchen and dining room.

"Oh! On the adult side, the condo should be stocked and someone will come to refill your stock once a week." She said remembering she asked one of her secretaries to add the penthouse to the list of houses that needed groceries and general stuff.

"Doctor Carter, there's no need"

"I know. But you wouldn't be here if it wasn't because of my father. And doing this, is just small compared with the pressure you have to keep me safe, and really, is not a big issue," she shrugged. "Also, Ms. O'Neill, there's a parking spot, if you drive I can get someone to get you one of the companies' car… that way you are free to come and go as you please. However, if you don't feel like driving, Richards is going to be at your disposal or he will point you to someone who's on call. And please, if you need something, anything, just let me know…"

"What about school?"

"Well, I had a conversation with the principal of my daughter's school, he can start tomorrow if you want. However, due to the late hour, I would recommend he joins the day after." They both nodded in agreement. "Good, I do need to know which school he was attending to get his documents moved to this one. For his transport, a driver will pick him at 8:30 AM, he will come up to here, so Charlie isn't unsafe below and you get to know with whom your child is going with, you are also free to join him on his trip to the school or take him yourself if you feel like... and as I told him, if he doesn't like the school we can always change it to the public school nearby"

"Are you telling me he's going to a private school?"

"Yes?" she questioned more than affirmed, when there weren't any complaints about it, "They are going to give him a uniform for him to wear temporarily and a couple of fitted ones will be brought over, later that day." The parents nodded and when she noted they were about to protest she quickly changed subjects, "Well, school is all arranged then. Now on the last pending issue, may I interest you all in a dinner? There's a nice fish and chips restaurant nearby, it's quick and healthy and it isn't fancy like the one at the lobby…"


	5. Home, sweet home

Hey there!

I presume this will be one of the last chapters before the real fun begins. :3 And with that I mean, abductions, aliens and maybe, some heartbreaking moments of our favorite couple!

Worry not, this is a S/J fic and they will be together (eventually)

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 5 – Home, sweet home**

Much to Sam's surprise, Sarah had taken the offer of dinner and after a while of getting Charlie out of his new room, the group headed down. Her car was still waiting outside and Phillips got down to open the door for her the minute he saw the group approaching.

"Where to, ma'am?" he questioned his boss, as soon as she was close enough for her to listen him.

"The fish and chip restaurant," she smiled at him and he raised an eyebrow, "I'm starving," she whispered to his ears only and Phillips chuckled.

She slid in the back seat along with Charlie and Sarah, while Jack took the front seat. They made the few blocks separating them of the place within a matter of minutes, in which Charlie didn't stop talking for a second, he told them about his new room, his new computer, the video games he found and the home theater. How on Earth did he managed to review everything in the short period they were up there was a mystery for Sam.

The car came to stop in a parking lot which seemed halfway full, Phillips came down the moment he stopped and opened the door of Samantha's side then he turned around and did the same for Sarah's side.

"Where are we eating?" Charlie asked confused looking around and not finding anything close to resemble a restaurant. Sam chuckled at the kid's confusion and turned around and pointed to a small settlement at the end of a pier.

"Over there," she answered. Then she turned around to search her driver. "Hey, are you coming?"

"No, ma'am. I had dinner before I went to pick you"

"Sure?"

"Yes, I'll be here," she frowned, she had this kinds of discussions everywhere. Sometimes she managed to convince them to take a second table if they didn't want to sit with her. But some, like Phillips, preferred just to wait in the car and to eat before picking her or after leaving her. With a sigh, she walked to the group, and they all completed the few steps separating them from the place. The moment they entered the smell of fried fish invaded them and Sam's stomach growled, and hoped no one else heard her.

"Table for four?" she asked at the entrance and got a full smile as an answer. The girl at the entrance turned around and with an 'oh' she guided them towards the other end of the place, to a table at the corner which was over the ocean almost in a balcony fashion. It was also, far away from the kitchen and offered a spectacular view of the darkened skies and ocean. The sound of the waves adding to the warmth of the place was relaxing. Sarah and Jack sat at one side while Sam and Charlie took over the other side of the table

"Samantha Carter! It's been ages!" A male voice came and she stood up, Jack's back straightened quickly, when he heard it and raised his eyes to find his charge in a deep embrace with a slightly older man.

"Miles! I didn't know you were back? I was here two weeks ago with Jess and her friends and no one knew about you…"

"Well, here I am. And I'm being rude" he said palming his clothes. "Hi, I'm Miles Harley. I'm one of the owners. So, what can we get you today?"

Soon, with the help of Miles, they placed their orders and they were left to enjoy their table, or to stare at Sam. She blushed, somehow whenever she was under the gaze of Colonel O'Neill she felt like she had to explain herself and that was something she didn't do often. She was saved of the explanation moments later when a chair was dragged and Miles sat with them. He regaled them with the history of how he met Sam around 14 years before when she was just a brat in college and he had just a food truck.

"Sam and Daniel, her best friend, where spending a few days in San Diego for spring break." Miles told them and Jack raised an eyebrow at learning that Daniel had taken a spring break in his life and Sam snorted, explaining they were both enrolled on a spring break class. Then, Miles eyes got teary eyed but a look at Sam made him falter and he shook himself.

"It was almost at the end of the break when she came up to me. You were what? 17?" she nodded, "and then, next day… I got an offer and got a partner. She was my lucky charm, and she keeps coming 14 years later… and we are still here." Sam rolled her eyes and blushed deeply.

"Please tell me, king of the sappiness, are you still going to charge me for our food? Or we should just go before you make it?" Sam grinned.

"You kidding right? If I know I can charge someone is you…" Miles punched her in the arm softly, "so, no girl, you are not free of the bill. In fact, do you want anyone else bill? I now you can afford it" he joked and winked at her. Then he quickly changed subjects, "So, how do you meet?" he asked and made both Jack and Sam cough. They had yet to come with an history for their cover up.

"Ah, it's a long story…"

"The Government appointed him to take care of some safety issues," Sam explained politely, trying not to embarrass the Colonel and not to give away what he was actually appointed to do, "He will be around until the issues are solved for good"

"Awesome, and if you can… tell the Government the girl need some rest too. Well, I feel I've intruded too much, I would say dinner's on me… but you heard the lady"

"Bye Miles," she waved and he raised his hands in defeat.

"Interesting man," Sarah smiled at Sam, who almost choked on her water with that, "it seems he really likes you"

"Ah, as he said… we go way back"

"Let me guess, another paternal figure?" Sarah added, this time Sam could hear some venom in her voice and she opted to ignore it.

"No, no figure. Just an honest, caring friend." Sarah was about to add something else, but a glare from Jack stopped her. Food, thankfully, came just then. They ate cheerily, the mood changing the moment Charlie spotted food and started to talk about how wonderful it tasted for being fish, and Sam explained that was the reason why she kept coming. It wasn't much longer when they were full and Charlie was falling asleep in his seat, when they finally waved their goodbyes to Miles.

The journey to the penthouse was equally short as before. This time, Sam chose to stay in the car while the O'Neill's made their way up. She was already feeling she was creating a divide in the family by taking the father out of the equation.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" Philips asked at his tiredly looking boss. She smiled back

"Yes, just tired I guess"

"You know it is about time someone look at your back"

"Can we not have this discussion now?" she pleaded with her driver. He, as most of her closest personnel, the ones she saw almost like friends because they never would never dare to cross the line separating them, they were constantly poking her to get a bodyguard, just like Rodney had forever now.

"Sure, you should sleep, the traffic isn't bad but we are still 45 minutes away"

"I know, I might do that," she smiled sadly at him, and looked out of the window. Philips was her driver for the last 13 years , she had hired him when her belly (and her Doctor) wouldn't allow her to drive, and she never regretted having him. He had seen her in many different situations and had never uttered a word about things that happened inside the car to anyone out there but her. He also never stopped calling her ma'am and she never dared to call him anything but Phillips. There was a line between them, one which she would erase if she didn't feel it would make the man uncomfortable.

"What do you think of him?" she asked casually still looking out.

"The Colonel?" she hummed, "I think he's exactly what you need."

"And what's that?" She questioned looking at him through the mirror. He looked at her in the eye before saying simply:

"Someone who cares"

And then, he lowered his eyes and cleared his throat and the front door opened. The air on the inside of the car switched and they all fell silent as the only sounds they heard were the ones from the car. Philips noticed his boss getting sleepier, he turned the radio on in one of those classical stations, he knew it would help her relax and soon, it gave its fruits. And he smiled.

Jack frowned at the tender smile the driver had and turned around to see what was causing it. In the back seat, Doctor Carter had moved herself and was embracing the headrest as if she was clinging to someone, and she was deep asleep. Her hair covered part of her face and until now, he hadn't seen the woman looking so vulnerable before.

"She's not as tough when you get to see her like that," Phillips told him, and he nodded confused, "don't get me wrong, is one of the strongest people I've known. I have no idea what she actually does, but sometimes it feels like she's carrying the weight of the world in her shoulders…maybe she does"

"Do you know her well?"

"I've been driving her around for more than 12 years, she introduced me the woman I married, let's say I know her somewhat..." he eyed the Colonel from the corner of his eye, "she's really something. But the most gratifying thing about this job, are the moments like this, you know? I know she trusts me enough to be the most vulnerable someone ever saw her being while I drive her home." Jack frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Anything could happen while one is asleep, Colonel. And yes, I am saying she trusts you too. Otherwise, that," he said pointing a thumb to the back of the car, "wouldn't have happened"

Jack hummed, he never stopped to consider that she had to put a great deal of faith in his abilities, he never thought she would either. He thought he was getting a messy mission with a stubborn woman to protect, but it didn't cross his mind that, the woman was trusting him with her life, the USAF was trusting him with her life, heck her father was trusting him blindly with her life. His best friend was doing it too… and he had to inhale deeply to get rid of the lump which formed in his throat. So many people trusting in him so easily, while the one who had spent most of her life with him denied him precisely that. Her trust was something he had lacked since the first time he left his home for a mission.

They were going out of the city, and kept driving away, he noticed trying to get himself back to the present. The buildings were replaced by townhouses and then by green walls and high fences, and never ending lands and, not quite surprisingly, it was in front of the gate of one of those never ending lands, where they finally came to stop. Philips rolled his window down and reached over to put his hand on a reader, then the gate came to live and opened. There was at least a couple of miles between the gate and the front of the house and he looked around because the house could as well be part of a Hollywood movie.

The miles separating them from the house, were surrounded by trees but the darkened path was lightened with lamppost every now and then, making it clearer. Then the trees came to an end, leaving space to the house itself. It appeared to be two or three stories high, with balconies around it. It was very … Victorian, maybe? There was a cobblestone path that led to a set of stairs.

The movement of the car over the cobblestone, always managed to awake her. She stretched a little moving back to her sitting position and groaned when she saw her status. Her clothes were disarrayed and her hair was a mess. But, she was home at last. She watched how the Colonel stared outside.

"According to some magazine I can't even remember the name," she said groggily, "it's 'a masterful blend of art deco and European architectural styles', alas we call it home." She said rubbing her eyes and jumping out of the car. She turned around and grabbed her backpack and started her way up. "Come along, Colonel! Goodnight Philips! Say hi to Mary for me," she shouted and waved from the stairs.

The foyer of the house alone spoke of the wealth of the family, and the woman strode in like she owned the place. Well, she did own it. An older woman approached them, with opened arms, and he was surprised to see the coldish looking Doctor Carter melt into the embrace.

"Anita, this is Colonel O'Neill. Colonel O'Neill, Anita, she's our house keeper." She said, resting her head on the woman's shoulder.

"One of them," Anita added with a smile, and Sam rolled her eyes. "It is true, kid. You have a horde of people working around. Colonel O'Neill, it's a pleasure to meet you, hopefully she will behave with you around"

"Anita!" Sam shouted blushing fiercely.

"It's also true, kid, you do need someone to make you behave, or at least keep a somewhat human schedule. I do hope you are equipped to handle her, Colonel. She doesn't eat when working, she barely sleeps, she travels a lot and drives like she's a formula 1 racer… and she's stubborn as hell. Did I forget something, kid?" she asked her eyes twinkling in merriment.

"Well, you could have let all of those out," Sam muttered, "but as you are older and wiser, I will let this go," she said playfully glaring at the older woman, "room?"

"Ah yes, we didn't know if you would like a view or not, or if you would like a room further away or closer, therefore, we prepared all of them and perhaps you can choose?"

"If it has a bed and you point me a bathroom I can use, I don't mind, ma'am. Anything will do." Anita chuckled.

"This house has 8 rooms and 12.5 bathroom's Colonel. Not counting the master bedroom. You don't need to pull your military man out, you just need to pick which one you like. But come, I'll show you. And you, kid, you need to go up and have a decent sleep, you are dead on your feet"

"Yes, ma'am," Sam mocked saluted the older woman, and started her way towards a side of the foyer. And Anita followed her, Jack looked at them and at the stairs and then he noticed they were standing in front of an elevator. Once they were in, Anita pressed two and Sam 3.

"Come, Colonel, I'll show you the options. Night kid,"

"Night Anita, Colonel" she waved and pressed the closing door button.

"So, you have this one, it has a view to the front of the property, or the one in front of it, which has a view to the ocean. Or you can have the one at the further end of the corridor, which has both. Personally, I would take that one, however, it's also too far away from the master bedroom which is on the third. But I guess, you won't need to be close to it, because the property is pretty safe"

"I'll take whatever you recommend," the Colonel said tiredly, Anita nodded with a big smile and walked to the end of the corridor.

"Well, as I said, the master bedroom is at the third floor, the pool and gym, in the underground. Level -1, along with her collection. Dinner room at ground level. Jessica's room is the one at the end of the corridor on the other side of the house. There's a music room…"

"Anita," he hesitated at calling her by the only name he had been given, she nodded, "I don't really need the list of room's right now," he smiled.

"Of course, you must be tired too. We are here," she said turning the lights on. There was a sitting room and a fireplace, with a library full of books. And a door, "room's over there, there's a full bathroom and a walk in closet. If you need anything, just write it here," she said pointing to a computer on a side. "It's simple, just pick whomever you need, and what and then press sent. And we will get your message, or you could be old-fashioned and try to find someone at the kitchen. There's always people around"

"Yes, Philip mentioned something about being 24/7." Jack commented trying hard not to yawn out of respect to the older woman. She simply smiled.

"Well, Colonel… we'll see you tomorrow morning. Have a nice night,"

Jack looked around at the huge room, considering that the room probably was the size of half of his house, he wondered why if there were so many rooms available, they had gone to the effort of getting his family to the city instead of just here. But he shrugged his doubts, a quick shower later he laid in the huge bed feeling a bit Lonely? Impressed? … overwhelmed?

He didn't know which one was weighing heavier in his mind, the bed was huge, and he missed the warmth coming from his wife, which was a strange by itself, he had tons of both earth and off world missions under his belt and that wasn't something he ever felt. Maybe it was the setting, the being constantly on guard what distracted him from feeling lonely during missions.

Impressed, yes… he was impressed by what he learnt in the short amount of time that had passed since the start of his mission. He wondered how exactly one goes from college student at 14 to multi-billionaire by what? 28? 30? He should would have liked to get a report on whatever little or much they knew about the woman, but no, the airhead club didn't think he was interested. He rubbed his face and turned around…

And he felt it, the heavy weight of feeling overwhelmed. How could a mission as simple make him feel such sensation? he wondered. Yes, there was a live at stake, but so there were in the missions, and not just one but at least the 3 of those from his team and he never had an issue. Yes, there was an extra pressure over his head but that was also true in many other situations, hell, the first mission to Abydoss should have weighed more in his mind than this. Directing an insurrection? Attacking a God? Why any of those had less weight than protecting one woman, a scientist! He hissed. A scientist who could kick some asses, he acknowledged. Yes, General Hammond showed him the video before he went down to Daniel's office, he saw she had some serious hand combat skills. He shook his head, a fact which only made him feel he should be less prone to be overwhelmed. Maybe it had to do with her old man asking for him. But they knew what SG-1 and any other team went through each time they confronted a Goa'uld, someone was bound to let a Tok'ra know about who they attacked or crippled and SG-1 was a master on getting head first into trouble. And then, his mind provided him with an image and he shook his head trying hard to forget it, to forget how peaceful and vulnerable his charge looked when asleep… and while his mind didn't agree that such simple thing could be the real cause of this sensation normally not in his range of emotions, his heart told him otherwise.

One floor up, Samantha Carter opened the double door of the master bedroom easily and entered the small lobby with a sigh, she didn't bother to turn the lights on, she knew the mahogany room (or at least the side she used) by heart and with a confident step, she walked the few steps separating her from the door at the left and opened it. She felt the wall at the side of the door and turned the lights at the anteroom and dropped her backpack over a chaise longue which lingered in the corner by the library and closer to the fireplace, to the other side, the view was limited by a white wall with three other doors, she started to undress making her way to the first one on her left and turned the lights of her private bathroom.

Feeling extremely tired, she decided to take a shower, not that much later she was walking to the door on the other side of the room, and into her dresser. She found a comfortable pajama and walked out. The imposing bed in the middle of the room was calling her, but so it was the laptop she left behind and the experiments paused on her private lab. She walked towards the bed and threw herself over it, and groaned when her mind didn't stop. She rubbed her face and sleepily walked away from her room and back to the anteroom, grabbed her backpack and this time she went through the door at the far right. She loved this room more than she liked her own bedroom. It was quite bigger than it because of the amount of time she used to expend in it was much longer than the few hours of sleep she usually took. Machines off all sizes took part of 2 out of 4 walls, and on the other 2 walls, they were carefully placed in such way they wouldn't cover the huge windows or the exit to the balcony. She placed her backpack over a long table that took the whole middle of the room and extracted her laptop, and connected it to the base, and turned the laptop on, automatically several pieces turned on and she smiled tiredly at the humming noise she was so used to hear. She sat in front of her computer, and started the paused experiments before trying to work in anything else. But no matter what she intended to do, her mind kept going astray, and after half an hour of not working she left her lab and walked back to her room.

She normally needed a complete darkness and a fully tired body or mind (both was just perfect but rare) to be able to sleep without much work on her side. So first she closed the heavy curtains and then she slid into her bed, checked her clock and groaned. 11:30 pm and she knew she would be up by 5 as every day since she could remember. She was tired, she had flown twice in a day, she had been bored beyond means by the briefing with the Air Force and she had to think through several issues which had arisen on experiments conducted at the SGC, she also had made some changes at the dialing system. But she had found a time for a nap before going to Andrews and that, she knew could kept her awake for way longer that she intended to.

Lying in the dark, ceiling gazing as she often did, she thought about her day. She knew what to expect in the meeting, granted she expected a little more of thought process in their proposals about who would want her, but everything else was no different of what she imagined…everything but… She sighed, she had read his file that morning on her way to Colorado, and she was impressed with the man. "Just impressed?" her inner-self asked and she rolled her eyes. She expected the tough and grumpy Colonel, she didn't expect the loving father. Granted, she expected the jealous wife too, but Ms. O'Neill jealousy was far from what she thought it would be, so it was her not so polite behavior. Samantha just hoped she wouldn't be creating an issue in that marriage, when she had enough issues on her own.

But somewhere in the conflict of her mind, she remembered she felt asleep in the car on their way home and she couldn't ever do so with anyone but Phillips in the car before, and even with her oldest driver it had taken several years to trust in the man enough to let herself rest. She shook her head, it couldn't mean anything, could it? She frowned, and then she scratched such occurrence as something which happened just because she knew nothing wrong would ever happen to her while Phillips' was in charge. The last thing she remembered as she fell asleep was her own voice laughing at her and telling her, she knew herself better than that.


	6. Day 1

Hey People! As promised… here we go with next chapter :3 … more awkward moments of unwelcomed attraction in the way. Thanks for the reviews… and I'm sorry for the ending of this chapter! *evil grin*

Anyways! And as usual, I have talked enough!

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 6 – Day 1**

The alarm went off in one room and in two rooms their occupants groaned and rubbed tiredly their faces. Colonel O'Neill, tapped around the bed trying to find out his darn cellphone to turn off the annoying sound currently drilling his head off.

"Ha!" he said once he found it and with one open eye he turned off the alarm, his clock marked 5:03 AM. He rolled in the bed and fought a battle with the side table to turn the lamp on, then with the orangey glow enlightening the room, he sat. "Time to roll," he muttered to himself and slid out of the bed, padding through the room and towards the bathroom. After his morning routine he looked outside, noticing he had completely forgotten about closing drapes, the skies were still darkish but the sun was soon going to start its way up. He dragged his duffel bag towards the walk in closet and pulled everything out to allow him to see everything he had at his disposal. He opted for sweatpants, t-shirt, socks and running shoes and after a quick stretch, he went out of the room.

A floor up, not even bothering to turning the lights on, Doctor Carter slid out of bed and into her dressing room and bathroom later, completing her morning routine and clad in a form fitting running attire, she opened her drapes and looked at the darkish sky with a smile and headed out.

The moment his shoes made contact with the marble floor, they squeaked and it drove him mad. He checked around and saw the carpet continuing towards the elevator while the marble started and continued to grow to become the stairs, and if he remembered right, the (also) marble stairs became the ground floor tiles. He sighed and opted for the less squeaking way out and pushed the down button.

The doors opened startling her, it was a real rarity to have someone in the elevator at such early hours. She was an early riser by custom, her dad's custom… but the rest of her family not so much. Rodney could sleep through the morning without any issues, Jess had taken the same liking for sleep than her father had, although she had an earliest schedule to complete. She raised her eyes and saw the Colonel looking at her surprised.

"Good morning," she smiled politely at him, and blushed when she heard the hint of sleep in her own voice.

"Good morning," he answered back, his voice still somewhat raspy. "I didn't know you were such an early riser,"

"My dad was military. I normally leave the house around 7:30- 8, but if I don't do some sort of waking process then I might as well not work that day at all," she explained, he raised an eyebrow. "I go for runs in the early mornings and swim at nights," and he couldn't help but look at her up and down and notice that her routine surely had paid off. She cleared her throat and he blushed. Before he could do anything to apologize for staring, the doors opened and she was out of the elevator and out through the main door. He followed her. "Do you prefer to run a trail or a treadmill?" she asked over her shoulders using the wide and high rails of the stair to stretch.

"Trails are better, but sometimes treadmills are necessity," he answered looking at everywhere but her.

"I prefer trails myself. We have two decent ones, one through the so called woods, which is good when is too hot. My personal favorite, is the second one which includes two miles at the edge of the sea. Although running in the sand can be quite challenging, the sea sounds and smell make it quite refreshing. May I interest you in one of those?" she said finally standing straight and still, her arms finding her middle in a protective stance.

"Whichever you want, Doctor." She frowned, but started to walk anyways, and he followed.

"Why?" she asked between breaths, an eyebrow raised and her pace starting to get faster.

"Why what?" he asked falling into the same step she was currently setting.

"This?" she pointed the two of them, "Why come running with me? Isn't the prospect of being around me the rest of the day, enough?"

"If you run every day, there's a schedule. If someone is studying you to know your movements, this is going to appear on their list"

"But the house is safe, the walls are high and there are cameras everywhere"

"But you have an ocean entrance"

"Yes, but if they don't go through the walls, they will need either a helicopter or a boat and both are going to call some attention."

"If it bothers you to having me running with you, then I will suggest to change it for the treadmill, Doctor"

"I never said it bothered me, Colonel. I was just pointing facts"

He understood the fact she was pointing when they got to the beach, the two miles of beach were in fact part of the back of her property, most of the place was pure rocks and boulders leaving a sandy path of about 4 feet between the back wall and the rocks, in which they were currently running. At some point the path grew wider and it gave space for an actual beach, hidden mostly behind huge boulders and with no real open water.

Sweat covered them both, when they finished their 10 miles run and hour and some later. She sat at bench at the back door, took her shoes off and walked towards the door with both shoes in her hand. Opening the door, she turned around and watched him.

"Are you coming?" she asked and he quickly followed her lead. "There wasn't a need for you to take your shoes off, I do it because I hate the squeaking sound they do when on marble. If marble wasn't so darn resistant I would have taken it out no matter how much Rodney believes is what is expected from wealthy people"

"I don't like squeaking either," he added with a shrug, "and the second floor has carpets all the way"

"Yes, and as Anita mentioned yesterday, there are a horde of people who work hard cleaning them, and they will be thankful you didn't fill it with mud. That way to the dining room, breakfast should be ready, but I… need a shower," He followed her to the elevator and she smiled.

"Does anyone ever uses the stairs?" he asked, and she snorted

"I do, whenever my husband is around," the doors opened and he went out, she pressed the button to keep the door open, "dressing shoes don't squeak Colonel" were her amused parting words.

Half an hour later he was down, he had a somewhat decent pant and a shirt and a pair of dressing shoes, he was feeling extremely self-conscious, but he knew he couldn't go following her around on his dress blues or his bdus. He walked to the direction she pointed and from there he followed her voice,

"Could you believe that, Anita? I was running in what appeared to be another planet with 3 other man, one of which was an alien!" she added with a huge smile and he frowned at her words. Anita excused herself out of the room the moment she saw him.

"I don't believe she has enough clearance…" Jack told her lowly.

"To what? To know whatever, fantasy my mind provides me during my dreaming hours?" she snorted, "Dear God, Colonel, relax I was telling what I dreamt and I found it hilarious. Can you actually see me running around a desert on bdu's and shooting at people and being called Captain? Because I'll seriously doubt of your sanity if you can"

"I don't think you would survive being ordered around, kid." Anita added, placing a tray on the table. "Colonel, good morning. Just pick a seat," and she proceeded to explain what was were. After Anita auto dismissed herself again, he looked around half expecting someone else to join them. But no, it was just the two of them and beside the Doctor, the backpack he saw her carrying around the previous day was placed on a seat, while she was quite immersed on a book.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked not quite comfortable in the silence.

"Huh?" she raised her eyes from the book and shook her head. She looked at him looking around, "Oh, as I told you yesterday, Rodney isn't in town."

"And you daughter?" she raised her eyebrow

"I'm going to assume Daniel told you about her, and you told your wife. Because, I distinctly remember only mentioning her when telling you both I talked with the principal of her school, and neither of you even batted an eye." She smiled, "whenever we both are out of town or when she's pissed off at me, she simply chooses to stay as an intern at school, instead of coming to an empty house," she shrugged, he felt more than heard the pain behind her words, although her proper mask didn't give any feeling away. He was an expert on avoiding touchy subjects of his own and considering he didn't know the woman long, he didn't push. With a grateful sigh she went back to her book.

"I never would have pegged you for a for book reader, at least not one which didn't fall in one of your many working areas," he added a bit later. She turned the book around and saw the cover, well, it didn't need a genius to know it wasn't tech related.

"Well, I'm bound to make small talk, Colonel. If I don't read about other things I would make a very boring guest," she commented with an eyebrow raised.

"I sure hope it isn't Harry Potter," he smiled. "Charlie went through it and we are bracing ourselves for the price of next one"

"Believe me or not, it was on my options," she mock shuddered, "however, it doesn't matter how much Jess love it, I can't find myself wanting to know the history of a child wizard going through school. I Just don't know how much I will be able to keep postponing its reading. It is part of many conversations and often, to escape them I need to move to an even more boring group."

"I can imagine; I did manage to escape the pressure." he whispered conspiratorially

"Do tell how," she asked leaning forward.

"I told them I would wait for the movies!" he grinned boyishly and she laughed.

"I should have told them that about this one," she sighed pushing the book away, "I really don't understand how anyone can find this interesting"

"What's about?"

"O Alquimista? Uhm, The alchemist… So far, is about a shepherd who travels around looking for the most precious treasure of the world. Supposedly, is about finding your path in life, following your heart and learning to read the signs which appear in our lives to point us to the right way," she finished dramatically.

"Sounds…"

"Pretty much like one of those Harry Potter novels? I think is too fantastic"

"Says the woman who dreamt about running on a desert planet with three man, one of them being an alien and shooting"

"Mocks the man who does it on a regular basis," she countered with a smile. Anita entered at that point, clearing her throat.

"Kid, are you planning on going to the office today?"

"Yes. Colonel, we should be going in 10," she told him and then she stood up and studied him. "Anita, will you come with me?" The women disappeared out of the room, he finished his coffee not much later and went up to grab his leather jacket. Upstairs, Sam was pacing her room.

"Anita, how on Earth can I bring his clothes up without making the man hate me more?" she asked concerned.

"Kid, the man doesn't hate you, but you are right, he might if you bring his clothes up," Sam sighed, "Alas, you must, there are dress codes in the buildings and not matter how handsome he looked, he needs to be in a suit too"

"Please tell me Phillips is taking us today?" Anita smiled brightly, "Good, I think they started with better feet. He might be able to tell him without offending the man"

"Are you really pretending to drop such thing over the poor Michael?"

"Yeah, you are right. Oh well, one must do what one must do"

The old woman chuckled at the dramatic way her boss was talking, and saw her fighting the nervousness the moment they reached to the ground floor and she saw the Colonel waiting for her. She smiled nervously and walked to him.

"Colonel O'Neill, I'm not trying to disrespect you or anything. But, we need to get you clothes first," she said quickly and blushing in embarrassment. He looked at her reaction and then, down at his clothes.

"What's wrong with mine?" he asked confused.

"Nothing! Nothing really, but it's not casual Friday and the offices have a dressing code," she grimaced, "sorry," she pleaded when he didn't say a word. He considered the situation for a while, if everyone wore a darn suit, he should try and look similar no matter how much he hated suits. He pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded.

"Doctor, we must do what we must do to finish this thing. And if buying me clothes will make things go smoother then by all means." He said and she smiled gratefully and walked out, while he mumbled, "I knew I wouldn't like this mission, I knew it"

Sam entered the house again, with an impish smile and Anita frowned, "I forgot my bag at the dinner room"

"Kid, are you alright?" Anita wondered the moment Sam walked back to the front door, this time shouldering her pack. The younger woman nodded and left, "Something is off with that girl," Anita muttered to herself.

Outside the house, Sam slid into the waiting car apologizing with the two men waiting for her, and then, she left out words that made Jack cringe, "Philip, we have to divert our ways today, we need to go shopping"

"It's too early, ma'am. Most of the malls and shopping centers don't open until 9 or 10." She huffed.

"It sounds to me, Colonel, that you will be shopping safe until noon. Will you pick us up at 11?" Phillips nodded, "Then we can go to the one near the office and have a quick lunch there. Not that I'm a fan of their cuisine"

"Are you sure I won't be causing you issues with the dress code, Doctor?"

"Hum, not if it's only for a morning. We will be going straight to my offices and staying there, until 11. However, I feel I must warn you, you will be stared at"

"Nothing that I can't deal with, Doctor"

"Good," she nodded.

They entered the underground levels of a building he assumed was the office building, Phillips parked the car in a designated spot and they left the car towards the elevator. Once inside, Sam pressed the button of the 34th floor. The last one available.

"It will take us straight to the lobby of my office and lab's, but this company is distributed around levels 22th to 34th. It was back 8 years ago, when I was in need of a decent office where all the personnel from this one could fit in just one place, that I came across this company which was starting to develop floors 18 to 20, they agreed on our requirements and bought them. Therefore, the main lobby of this company is at floor 22. Security was highly improved in all the floors and there's an internal elevator to allow the company personnel to move without being dependent of the main elevators." She explained quickly and almost to his ear when the doors opened and a flood of people moved in. She came to stand in front of him, covering half of his body with her own. He inhaled deeply and regretted it almost instantaneously, not only because she smelled heavenly but because she too did the same.

If it wasn't for a couple of 'Good morning ma'am' which were said to Sam, she wouldn't had noticed how she held a breath the moment the Colonel inhaled deeply behind her back. Trying not to look perturbed by her body reaction, she answered with a bright smile to all of her employees avoiding saying anything else for fear of her voice betraying her attempts of keeping herself in check. She saw the curious looks they were giving at the man behind her back and she saw the moment they became glares; and it was accompanied by the weight of the Colonel shifting from one foot to the other.

While the Colonel tried not to flinch at the stares he got all the way up to the 22th floor, he couldn't keep his body from uncomfortable shifting from one leg to the other, and fought all the urges to brace himself on a defensive position. But when they stopped at the 22th and the other people massively walked out of the cart, he sighed.

"I just don't want to hear the grapevine right now," Sam muttered pinching the bridge of her nose and moving to stand at his side.

"It won't be as bad as at the SGC," he whispered back, and judging by the look the Doctor gave him, she wasn't really expecting him to hear her comment, "The grapevine…" he flinched, "One would think that in such a secret place everything would be quiet, but nope, no such luck. If anything is the fastest grapevine I've ever encountered. I mean, one time Daniel brought a girl back and when we reached the infirmary, everyone knew about her and there were already bets in place"

"Well, here there are plenty of scientist working in very delicate projects. But, it doesn't take long for …" the doors opened and they walked out, the quick exchange of words and the blush of the two girls at the front desk were more explanation that he needed. They chuckled and she pointed him the way to her office. "There's something we need to figure out, before I can't start to work," she commented while she took her laptop out.

"And what's that?"

"Well, I work, Colonel, which means I will be most of the time immersed in some documents or experiments or anything that comes to my attention, which leaves you… with nothing to do, and I don't think that … 'Carter-gazing' … is something you would be doing without being bored out after the first 10 seconds," she smiled and observed him as he plopped himself in a chair in front of her desk. "I know you don't actually have a work to do, but being around me. However, I do believe you would like to do something on your own?"

"I could try to find who's behind your first abduction, but that would require a safe access to the files back at Cheyenne, or you can give me a yo-yo"

"Excuse me?" she asked confused, "a yo-yo?" he nodded, "I never thought I would ever meet someone who could find the yo-yo distracting," she mussed, "I can provide you with both, the yo-yo and a computer with secure access to Cheyenne and the Pentagon. I will make sure a computer is set for you on the other offices as well, or maybe I should just get you a laptop. Now that we are clear, you can join me on the lab or you can stay here until 11."

She was wrong, he found out the moment she started to work in her (many) experiments. She moved around her lab in a graceful way and with such precise movements, that he was enthralled to keep watching her. Something he did, trying not to look like he was doing it by hiding himself behind the screen of the laptop someone got him not even half an hour after their conversation. There was something in the way she frowned when confused, and the way she pursed her lips, and in the way the tip or her tongue appeared when she was trying to do something seemingly very delicate. He shook himself, 'what the hell are you doing?' he chastised himself, 'Carter-gazing, she said' his mind also provided.

"Where can I get something to drink?"

"Ah, you can press two on the phone and Stephanie or Tess can bring you whatever you want," she answered without looking at him. Then, when she heard no movement of the phone, she raised her eyes to meet his, "If you want I can show you where the machines are?" She asked and he nodded.

He had options, she told him, showing him the way to the internal elevators. They went two floors down and walked to a room with a set of different machines. Then they went another two floors down and she showed him the 'mess hall' of the company. And finally, they went back to her floor and she showed him a small kitchen where there was an espresso machine and a refrigerator full of healthy and not so healthy items to munch or drink. Surprising him, she prepared two cups of coffee, she outright laughed at his expression when he was about to give it a sip. And her heart skipped a beat the moment he hummed in satisfaction. Then with a blush she excused herself and walked back to the lab.

At 10:45 an alarm went off. Just when he finally had managed to concentrate himself on the task he had given himself, his coffee cup was empty for the second time. He knew she was on well on her fourth one, "no wonder you and Daniel get along so well," he said when the fourth one came to be, she giggled and if he could order her not to do it, he would. That giggle was the cutest and appealing sound he had heard in a long time.

"Ready, Colonel?" she said closing the lid of her laptop and walking towards the door separating the lab from her main office. He did the same on time to see her grabbing a small wallet and pulling it on what should be the inner pocket of the jacket. He frowned curiously.

They walked towards the main elevator, and she pressed the button to the sublevel in which Phillips had dropped them. "So, you do three thousand things at once, make a good coffee and don't use a purse," he affirmed and she snorted.

"Why am I under the impression that the last fact is the one which disturbs you the most?"

"Because…" he said and the elevator stopped, a couple of people joined them and 3 of them were women with purses of different sizes, he pointed them to her, "isn't that a fountain of secrets that no man should ever understand?" he whispered to her ear and she shivered.

"Nope, it's just a purse. One doesn't really need half of the things we put inside, but they are a fountain of comfort," she whispered back, "I was explained once that you are supposed to carry with you everything that could fix anything that could be wrong in a day"

"Huh," she leaned conspiratorially and he did the same

"It's common for the average woman to carry with her make-up, an extra pair of nylons, perfume… and other feminine items you don't want to know about," she smiled wide and he shook his head. Their hushed tones had attracted the curious eyes of the others in the cart with them but as concentrated they were on their conversation, they both failed to notice it.

The way to the shopping center was made in the same half joking half silent mood that had accompanied them the whole morning, Sam could see the not so pleased look of the Colonel when they finally parked at the underground level of the center. They entered the shopping complex and he saw the Doctor frown.

"What'?"

"I just don't know where the male shops are, hell, I don't even know where the female stores are," she smiled and then her eyes brightened when she saw a map of the place. She walked confidently to it and then she turned around, "I know where we are going," and strode away of the sign. She shook her head when she thought she felt something weird but as it didn't continue she didn't paid attention to it. And then, they were entering one store which he saw displayed lots and lots of what he imagined were very expensive suits. A dependent quickly joined them and Sam took over explaining what she needed for him.

"Doctor, I don't think I can afford this ones," he said taking her to a side.

"Who said you would buy them?" she asked and then he couldn't help but cringe when he was half dragged to the changing rooms, clenching his jaw he entered and started to get changed. "Are you sure you want these ones, Doctor?" he asked when he saw the price of the thing.

"Why? Don't the fit?" She asked from the outside where she and the vendor were waiting for him to come out to check the fitting. He came out, the suit was a perfect fit.

"Wow! I've never seen anyone who didn't need a fitting before," the vendor commented and Sam nodded, blushing at the sight. "You should try the other too, sir. Or this one will be it?"

"No, no, we need at least a couple of them," Sam answered, and the vendor went to bring a couple more. "I'm sorry, Colonel, but do you feel okay with them? We can try a different store, but this one is one of the best"

"It's just that Doctor, have you seen the prices? Are you sure you want to spend so much in just a couple suits?"

"Don't be silly, Colonel. Who knows how long you are stuck with me, the least I can do is buy something that will last you enough. Don't look at me like that! you know as well as I do, they aren't as bright as they pretend they are"

The vendor came at that moment with another group of suits, and the Colonel nodded going back to the changing room. Five or six suits later, he was standing slightly annoyed to be still in there. "What about shirts?" the vendor suggested and Jack groaned, "oh! And ties!" To that comment he actually glared at her.

"Why don't you go and start processing the purchase and find us some shirts, he can pick?" Sam suggested and he smiled gratefully at her.

"I just need the jacket of this one to add it to the bill," the vendor explained and the Colonel took the jacket off. While doing so, both Sam and the vendor were regaled with a view of the movement of his chest. The Doctor turned around slightly flushed, and the vendor hurried to grab the jacket and leave the area.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Samantha?" she whispered to herself annoyed with her strange reaction, and the weird feeling coursing through her body.

"You were an Tok'ra host," someone sneered as an answer, while pressing a gun to her back. "Don't try anything dumb, Doctor Carter. We chose to act because there are many civilians who could end up injured if you don't cooperate," the voice added and she recognized then, the thing she felt earlier. The reaction of her body under the presence of someone else with naquadah in their bloodstream. "Walk with us, Doctor Carter and no one else will be injured." Assessing her chances, she did exactly as was told.


	7. Second Attempt

Hello, hello… well, I probably should start by apologizing. I am *THE* worst action writer ever. xD Hopefully this has translated somewhat as my mind provided. (Odds are that you have a wonderful imagination and can fill the gaps xD)

As usual, enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 7 – Second attempt.**

"Walk with us, Doctor Carter and no one else will be injured." Assessing her chances, she did exactly as was told. The man with the gun directed her to turn around on a wide movement, not allowing her to see his face. She saw a second man waiting for them at the other side of the room and a third waiting just outside the store. She swore quietly.

"Ma'am? I thought you were picking some shirts?" The vendor asked from the middle of the room, Sam hoped the distraction wouldn't prove to be a reason to go wild west on the vendor and also, hoped that if the vendor did notice her situation, she wouldn't react badly. The gun in her back was pressed further in.

"Yes," she smiled brightly. "I just need some air. Please tell him I've stepped outside," the vendor frowned, noticing something off in her attitude, and the gun was pressed against her again, "don't worry, he's just a friend of my father," she smiled confidently hoping the moment the Colonel got that information, he would be able to know she was abducted or in the process of.

Then they both walked out of the room and the duo became a quartet. For the way they were carrying themselves she was pretty sure there were more than just the gun pressed at her back. A zat'nik'tel was hinted in one while they moved towards the elevator area, and she sighed.

Her mind pointed at her that their most probable plan was to make her cooperate with them to reach to the underground parking where no cameras were available and few people lingered. Then, with a quick use of the alien weapon she would be out for who knows how long and then she would be wherever they needed her to be for whatever they wanted her for.

She was comfortable with the first part of their plan, the second part she didn't agree on letting go on. She knew she could get rid of them if she calculated her steps clearly, but she also knew she needed to wait to get to the parking for similar reasons. Once she was sure no other civilians could get hurt, she could use her many fighting skills or die trying.

"Better a corpse than a traitor," she thought wearily.

They were still slowly walking away of the store when Jack came out of the changing room back on his own more comfortable clothes. He frowned when he didn't saw the Doctor waiting outside, and thought she maybe was picking the shirts she was talking earlier with the dependent. But when he walked out towards the main room, he saw no blonde hair picking out from over the racks.

"Your friend went out for air," the vendor smiled happily, "can you believe she found some friends of her father," the hairs in the back of his neck stood.

"Friends of her father, you say?" she nodded, "Did you see the way she went?" he asked alarmed.

"To the left, I think." He ran to the door,

"Ma'am… call the police, tell them Doctor Samantha Carter was kidnapped," were his last words to the girl before running towards the left.

He saw a group of three men and a blonde head and the way they moved told him they were the ones he was looking for. He swore, because he spotted them the minute they entered the elevators. He kept running, he noticed the thing was going down so he took the stairs, he checked the ground floor for a second or two, and not seeing the group, he continued to descend.

The doors of the sublevel 2 opened and just like she knew it would, it was half way deserted. Once more the one with the gun at her back pushed it forward, making her move. She smiled pleadingly at the 3 people who were standing waiting for them to vacate the small space, but they were too immersed in their own lives to notice her trouble. They walked out of the elevators lobby and out of the reach of the last camera available and the goon who had been leading her pushed her away towards the one she saw carried the concealed zat in his back. She used the shove to cover her intentions and when she was holding her shoved weight, she raised her knee as strongly as she could and hit him straight in the groin. He fell to the floor crying in pain and she gave him a second kick this time using her heel to make more damage. The warning shoot came seconds later.

"Try something as dumb again and I'm going to put a bullet right between your eyes, Doctor," the second man told her and she nodded quickly raising her hands. "Zat her," he said to the first man. She spotted Colonel O'Neill and tried hard not to sigh in relief. The third man groaned on the floor, and the first one went to him to try and retrieve his zat.

Jack saw the scene in front of him, and noticed that somehow she had managed to bring down at least one of her captors. And judging by the way he was laying on the floor gasping for air, and grabbing at his most sensitive parts, he had a pretty decent image of how exactly she had managed it. When he saw the middle man walking toward the one down, he used that window to act.

Stealthily moving, he stood behind the one pointing the gun at his charge and on a swift movement, Jack grabbed him holding his arms behind his back and using him as a cover. He was going to go for the gun as it flew however the Doctor moved quickly to get it, therefore he stood keeping his prisoner at bay.

The Colonel wasn't sure if the second man turned around out of the sound of the gun when reached the floor before Sam caught it, or of the grunting sounds coming from the one whom he was forcibly grasping, or if he just finished whatever he was trying to do when he reached down for the other man. but when in a blink of the eye, his gun was aiming at him, he knew exactly which one was.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," Jack told to the second guy, with a smirk.

"And why is that?" the goon asked smirking too. The Colonel simply nodded towards the side, where the Doctor was coming to stand while keeping the gun aimed at the only 'active' one. "God darnit!," he swore and kept changing his aim from the Colonel to the Doctor not quite deciding what would be his approach. If he went to the Doctor, he might kill her and despite the previous menace of killing her, it wasn't acceptable. If he went to the man, he had a good chance of getting his partner. He could try and grab the zat but his partner put the weapon on his back and he couldn't get to it too quickly.

"Well, as I see, you can kill each other, which I don't think is what you are trying to do here. Or you can kill him while trying to get me… or, you can let us go now," Jack offered, coming closer to Sam, and then he heard it. The sound of a zat being armed, with widened eyes, he shoved the man he was grabbing towards the Doctor and shouted "run!"

On a moment of sheer luck, the first discharge of the zat got to where the Doctor was standing at the same moment the body of the goon did, allowing her to scape. She ran as fast as she could and hid behind a line of cars, noticing quickly that her heels sound's on cement were too loud to allow her to move freely. She crouched behind a car and undid the clasps of her shoes, put her weight down on the floor and slid under a car, and inhaled deeply thinking of her next move. Clearly she couldn't stay put there, she was a sitting duck, and she didn't like that a bit.

The Colonel also managed to use the distraction to run towards the line of cars. He thanked that, even though the parking was desert, it was jam packed with cars of all heights and brands, he noticed some cement walls too that would put some real separation between them and the goons, if he managed to find her. He moved crouching behind the cars, trying to listen where she could have gone not getting any sound but the shouted swearing from her attackers. He listened carefully again, but there weren't any clicking sounds coming from anywhere. He moved past a couple of cars and crossed over to the next line when he saw it was safe to do so. Again, he had not seen a hint of his charge, he decided to change strategy, on a swift move he pressed himself against the floor and then he saw her and couldn't help but smirk at her cleverness, he spotted her moving crouched and barefooted between the cars.

Then he looked up and saw they were not far away from where Phillips told them he would be waiting, and he hoped she had noticed the same. If she did, getting to the SUV would be the easiest way out. He looked around from his position and thanked his luck that the kidnappers weren't as smart as they should. Screaming to each other, they loudly divided themselves to try and find her, he saw the second man entering the line in which he was hiding before and he moved. He knew he had to knock the man out doing the less possible noise, he was about to strike him quietly when he heard a hiss and a loud, 'you bitch'. And with the momentary distraction he lost his target.

After getting herself together under the chassis of a beaten up Volvo, she looked around to try and find where her attacked were in relationship with her current position. She deemed it safe enough to continue moving and rolled out of her hiding place. She looked up and smiled when she noticed she wasn't as far away from Phillips and her hopes raised. She had managed to put at least four lines of parked cars between them when their shouting reached her ears. Flattening herself behind the back of a tall SUV she saw the classic colors of a fire extinguisher not far away from where she was and smiled. She moved slowly and surely to that place, but she failed to notice she would be visible for the length of two parking spots, and completely visible if she tried to get it. She looked around but didn't see any of her former captors nor she saw the colonel, taking her chance she rushed to the wall with the red and white marks. She was running back to hid behind the cars, and at the same time she pulled the safety of the extinguisher out thinking she was safe until she heard the "you better stop now, Doctor" and felt again the weight of the gun on her back.

She turned around as fast as she could and hit the man with the heavy object in her hands, making him stumble backwards and then, she covered him on the white contents of it. "You bitch!" he screamed at her as she ran away again.

She was breathing hard and she was really thankful that she was a runner, otherwise she knew she would have been out of the fight longer before, but when an arm snaked around her waist and a hand came to cover her mouth, she almost fainted.

"Shh, there's only one of them left. The one you took down first," the Colonel whispered into her ear and she both shivered and exhaled heavily at his words. "But he has the zat"

"The car is just on the other side of that wall," she whispered.

"I thought so, stay hid and I'm going to try to get to the car. When I get there, I will create a diversion so Phillips can pick you up safely," she frowned

"What about you, Colonel?"

"Well, I hope the girl has called the police. But if she didn't, I will make my way to the upper level and mix with the people. It's not me whom they are after of" he pointed. She bit her lower lip and nodded. He crawled between cars slowly, until he reached the divide. He spotted her car and huffed. Looking around he ran towards the wall, the electric sound pointed him that he was spotted but luckily too far away of the zat range. He stood and ran the last steps separating them from Phillips and checking he wasn't giving the driver away, knocked the front door.

"Colonel?" Phillips asked surprised when opening the door, he found the man in a far more unkempt state than he last saw him.

"Start the car! She's over there…" Jack pointed to the area where he left her.

"What?"

"Just go! Stop in the middle of the lane, between line F and G. She's going to make a run to the car." Not quite understanding the issue, but trusting that whatever it was, the Colonel was far more prepared than him to create a plan, Phillips did as told.

Half expecting that the sounds of the car starting where enough distraction, he ran back to where he had left her. But she wasn't there anymore. The shouts coming from several directions let him know that the two not zatted were back into action. He never had wanted a zat of his own more than at that moment. The only improvement on the whole situation was that there were sirens approaching the building. He just hoped she was as well-known as Daniel pointed she was and that her name resulted in dozens of police cars taking over the all the possibly escape routes.

As he couldn't see her between the cars, he pressed his body once more against the cold concrete and looked around, she wasn't far away but she was better covered under a truck than she was before behind the cars. She also saw him and then she heard the noises of her suv as it stopped in the middle of the lane. She rolled out of under the truck and into a crouching position. Both Colonel and Doctor moved behind the cars to get closer to the waiting car. When they were as close as they could, Jack stood up and assessed the situation.

"Crap!" he exclaimed and then he added "go, go, go" and she was running to the opened doors and so was him. Until an electrical sound echoed the parking lot and he wasn't running anymore. A police car entered the parking area at that time and behind the wheel, Phillips saw how three large men ran towards the elevators.

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" he asked looking at the woman who had jumped at the back seat. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She nodded once.

"There should be 3 men out there, they were looking for me," she commented her voice trembling a little.

"Bulky, and dressed all in black?" she nodded, "I saw two ran towards the elevators when the police patrol came," he answered. She looked around with a frown

"Where's the Colonel?" A tap on Phillips window, distracted him from answering. A police officer stood on the outside.

"Is everything okay?"

"For what I understand, 3 men were trying to kidnap my boss," Phillips explained and Sam got down of the car again. She heard the police ask if she was Doctor Samantha Carter before she saw him, he was laying in the floor and she couldn't help but run towards him, her heart constricting at the vision of his limp body.

"Colonel O'Neill?" she asked with a trembling voice as she neared the man, "Colonel O'Neill, are you okay?" she came closer, there wasn't any blood around him. She thought about shook him slightly but she knew better than to try and move an injured person, with trembling fingers she pressed them against his pulse point and a tear left her eye the moment she felt the faint throbbing. "Oh thank God"

"Doctor Carter?" Phillips voice shouted

"Over here! We need an ambulance!"

The ambulance was there in less than 10 minutes, in which Phillips had managed to find her shoes and also provided her with a pack of tissues, her clothes were ruined between oil and dirt from rolling on the ground. But at least it helped her to improve her disheveled status. There was a second ambulance requested to transport the man who was zatted and cuffed. He would be a good place to start in trying to find answers, she knew she would have to place a call to the SGC to get the prisoner under their jurisdiction.

Judging by what Phillips told her, the news of her almost kidnap had escaped the 911 lines and filtered towards the press, Anita had called him to let him know what was happening and confirmed that the building was surrounded of news vans and police cars. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to come up with a solution.

"Ma'am, if you go on the ambulance… I speed to the house, you can call your press manager from the safety of the hospital and let them know you are okay and they can deal with the press. They will follow me"

"They won't know you are in there, I will go to the house to 'drop-you' and get an overnight bag so you can fix yourself and then make your statement." Phillips finished, having dealt with many close calls with the press before, she nodded accepting his solution.

"Thanks Phillips, I'll call Anita to let her know what I need." She smiled but he still could read the worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry ma'am. Everything is going to be okay," she nodded not feeling half of the confidence her driver felt, but she turned around and jumped into the waiting ambulance.

"Ma'am, he's stable. But we still have to get him to the hospital. Are you injured?" The paramedic came to her

"I'm okay, no injuries. I might faint later due to shock though," she smiled tiredly to the paramedics.

The doors where closing and the paramedics announced where they were taking him, she asked if it was possible to move him to a different one, and they agreed with her since he was out but in no apparent life threatening situation. They smiled knowingly when she gave them the name of the hospital, it was well known for its underground emergency entrances and their no press on the underground policy and judging by the amount of press presence when they left the parking lot, one of them was someone quite known.

Fighting her body which was desperately trying to shoot down, she called Anita, and her personal doctor, who also called the hospital, she decided she would have time to dwell and panic later that day, and in the safety of her own room. "There was quite a circus out there, but I don't think they've followed," the driver commented loudly when they reached the hospital. Soon, he was rolled out of the car and quickly assigned to a private room. An emergency Doctor walked with her asking for information on the patient, and she repeated everything she knew from his file. It took Phillips another half hour to get to the hospital and not long after, he entered the designated room with a bag, making the only person inside straighten. He shook his head as the reaction of his boss who to most people would only appeared to be staring out of the window.

"The Colonel was just taken to get a ct." she added, turning around with a serious expression. She sighed in relief, "Phillips"

"You should shower ma'am. The press is out there, I took my own car to be get here without alerting them of your presence, you'll be considered at your home until Hallowell arrives with Ms. O'Neill." She nodded, "Anita told me she put everything you asked and something she thought you might need here, I can stay here while you are in there, if it helps?" he asked softly.

"Thank you," she whispered, before grabbing the bag he brought and disappearing into the bathroom.

After 20 minutes and a good scrub, she emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed and clean. She opened the door fixing her jacket and raised her eyes when she noticed the bed was occupied again. Then, she regretted having taken so long when she found the accusing eyes of Sarah O'Neill throwing daggers at her from the bed side of the Colonel. She placed the bag beside Phillips who was currently standing on a corner of the suite.

"This is your fault," Sarah hissed

"I know," The Doctor admitted, because it was true. She knew whomever was appointed for this plan of her dad had a high chance of getting hurt before they could catch them and at the end of the day she wouldn't be in such position hadn't her stepped in for her husband. But before she could explain further, her quick acceptance only put some more fire into the O'Neill woman.

"You know? And you are still in here? You still agreed with this? What kind of person are you?" she said louder each time, and walking towards her. Phillips noticed this and started to come closer, a quick no from his boss made him stay put, allowing Sarah to stand nose to nose with the Doctor. Sam didn't flinch. For all she knew the O'Neill woman had all the rights in the world to be mad at her, she had managed to put not only herself but the other woman's husband on a very delicate situation.

"I know what he signed for the moment he was assigned for this mission; and so did he. I didn't agree with any of this nor I like to be a fountain of distress. I can't change who they appointed for this mission. And I have no fault on people trying to kidnap me. Nor I have a fault on your husband's career path, his own career is what made him the chosen one," Sarah clenched her jaw, "I will take care of all the bills, and my personal Doctor is currently attending him, he's okay. He's just out." She affirmed knowing his current status had lots to do with the alien weapon that made an appearance during the whole incident, "Now, if you allow me, Ms. O'Neill, I will go and sort all of the mess he has been dragged too"

Sam left the room quickly squaring her shoulders she found her Doctor and discussed the situation, her press manager had appeared when she was doing so, but had already organized a small press conference to show she was okay. Sam sighed, she hated press conferences, it felt she was putting her private life out there to be judged, but there was nothing she could do. She only hoped no one mentioned her kid, the last thing she needed was for them to try and get Jess and make and exchange.

"Yes, there was an injured, he received an electrical discharge," Sam voice came from the tv on his room. "He's in perfect health state however he's kept under observation for safety measures,"

"Do you know who might want to get you Doctor Carter?"

"Sadly, I have no idea, in my line of work could be anyone." She told them, firmly. Being attacked by Goa'ulds on Earth was something she couldn't say out loud. Her press manager finished the meeting and they went back to the floor in which the Colonel was staying.

"Sam, I have no idea what could put him on this sort of status. A real electrical discharge wouldn't produce what we are seeing here, I'm guessing this, the attempt of getting you has to do with some of your projects, or at least to one related with the Air Force since he is an officer."

"Yes, that's why his name can't be given out. I would endanger his family," she explained, "Look, Andrew, I can contact his CMO, she will be able to provide more information about his current status, all I know is he should be awake once the effect runs out"

"I'll let you know the moment that it happens, then"

"Thanks Andrew, I'll wait for your call"


	8. Bad Day

Hey there… I'm really surprised you think I'm not *THE* worst action writer ever, and I will try my best on keep it your way on future chapters.

For now, let's move out of the action… :3

Enjoy!

M.

PS: The weekend was really fic productive… hopefully the muse stays around :D

 **Chapter 8 – Bad day**

After the incident with Sarah O'Neill, Phillips had returned to the house in search for her car. Then not too long after the press conference, Sam was spotted leaving the hospital. She was so glad Phillips had decided to driver her that day, because he was pretty good at losing the paparazzi who rarely tried to follow her around. Yes, she was well known, but she also was boring. She was married, there were no affairs and she spend more time in her office than out there. And when too much press was following her on one city, she always tended to disappearing out of thin air… well, she just traveled to another city in where she wasn't being searched for.

"We need to get back to the store, Phillips. We will still need what we were buying," she told him at some point

"Okay, ma'am. But I will come with you this time," she nodded absentmindedly looking out.

"First to the office, though, I need to make a call," he nodded and took the fastest route to the building. She needed to get General Hammond's people up to speed and make sure they would take all the precautions with the man who was currently under police hands.

She was pretty grateful when the elevator didn't stop until it reached her floor, and her secretaries knew better than ask. If a call came about the incident they would quickly divert it to the press management offices. They both were on the phone went she passed by them with a quick wave and once on her office, she grabbed her phone and dialed the number.

"Hammond," the voice came from the other side.

"General, there was an incident today."

"Sam?"

"Yes, they tried to take me again, Colonel O'Neill was zatted. I will need your CMO to call a specific Doctor, I'm sending you an email with the information."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm… uninjured," she told him, because deep down she wasn't okay. "One of the attackers was zatted during the incident. It's currently under police surveillance."

"Okay, I'll see he's brought under our jurisdiction. Are you sure you are okay?"

"I will be… just, I wouldn't tell this to my father if I was you," she sighed.

"You said one is under police surveillance?"

"Yes, there were three of them, at least one was either a jaffa or a host, they had three guns and a zat. I can't give you accurate descriptions of them but I can see if the place where it happened has some footage that might be of help, I'm pretty sure if there was, the police would already have them." She added mechanically, Hammond sighed. He knew her for most of her life, and he knew that way of talking often pointed to her still having not tackled her emotions, choosing to keep them at bay until she had time to dwell. After all, it was the same clipped tone she used when she called him the day her mother died.

"We will need a debrief as soon as the Colonel is back to the conscious world," he added, maybe if she saw him she would open up with him, the General thought.

"Yes, I agree. We can fly to Cheyenne tomorrow. If he's ready. I do have a favor to ask…" she said somewhat uncomfortable, she wasn't one to ask for favors from the military. "Jess safety… it worries me,"

"I see,"

"She's mostly at school but I need to know someone is watching her, I can have a private security following around, however…"

"You are pretty sure there are goa'uld involved"

"Yes."

"I'm going to press for a team to have her secure. However, she's not a security liability, Sam"

"I know. That's why is a favor. As I said, if this can't happen, I can move private resources and then we can see what to do with the clearance when they see something weird, like a zat."

"Sam, I get your point … and I'll try my best to get it across. But I know you can do a more … candid… presentation about why she needs the security measures during the briefing."

"Will do, I gotta go now," she hung the phone and exhaled slowly. She turned around to observe the city behind her.

"Sam?" a voice called and she turned around abruptly, her heart beating fast and her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, we told her she shouldn't be here, but she walked past us before we managed to get to her," Tess apologized, grabbing the shoulder of the kid.

"It's okay Tess, she's welcomed whenever she wants and she knows it," she said coming to stand looking closely to the kid, "You can go now," she smiled politely to her secretary who frowned at the uncharacteristically behavior of her boss, but turned around and closed the door nonetheless. The moment they heard the click, Sam walked towards the girl and the girl ran to her.

"Mom," she said embracing her hard in the middle. She noticed her daughter was taller, now she reached her almost to her chest, her brown hair had some lights on and a hint of purple in the tips than she knew better than question. Her blue eyes were still the same she had seen opening for the first time almost 13 years ago. She had grown so much since the last time she saw her, almost two months ago, when Jess decided she was going to stay as an intern until the exams finished, and then both her and Rodney ended up traveling around after that. Oh, she called her every day, but their relationship was fragile no matter how much she tried to repair it.

"Jess, are you alright? Is there something wrong? Who brought you?" Sam questioned before her daughter had any chance to answer. Sam felt the slim body sob and she put some space between them to take a good look at her daughter. Jess was crying but quickly cleaned her face with the sleeve of the sweatshirt she was using over her school uniform. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she answered, shocking her head, "I was just worried, are you okay?"

"Yes," Sam answered trying not to make her even more upset than she already was. But Jess frowned when tears keep spilling against her own will. Her mother cleaned the tears with the pads of her thumbs and moved them to the couch on a side of her office. She sat and pulled her baby over her lap, something Jess hadn't let her do in a long time. "Talk to me, Jess," she whispered and Jess buried her face in the crook of her neck.

"I was leaving the cafeteria when someone turned the tv louder, they said they kidnapped you, mom." She said between sobs, "I didn't believe it was you, and tried hard to keep concentrated on my books, I have an advanced calculus test tomorrow," she explained, "and then, Miss O'Hara came to me and she told me you gave a brief press conference and that you were okay… but I had to see you on my own." She explained, her mother caresses giving her some peace.

"But you are okay?" she asked, and Jess nodded. Her most pressing concern quickly dissolved, "And how did you get here?"

"I took the bus, and the metro… no one knows I'm here"

"Jess… you know that's highly dangerous."

"Mom, don't start over protecting me again," she rolled her eyes, all trace of worry quickly erased.

"I won't… if you stop doing things you aren't supposed to do, Jess." Her daughter quickly left her arms and stood on a defensive stance. Sam closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying hard not to create yet another conflict with her, "what if something happened to you and no one knew where you went?" She whispered, letting out one of the fears that currently were running rampant through her mind.

"Then you would probably remember you have a daughter," Jess hissed at her, and Sam had to take a deep breath, trying to contain the pain those words caused.

"I've never forgot about you, Jess."

"It doesn't show," she mumbled turning around, "Look, I just wanted to know you were okay, can you get me back to school now?"

"Jess, please," she pleaded but, she was already taking out her headphones, and finishing their conversation over the music of the darn cd player they had got her.

Sam closed her eyes, she knew in that moment she had managed to make her daughter angry again. She hated that ability of hers to open her mouth and screw her relationship with her daughter to new levels. She pinched the bridge of her nose, she had become exactly what she hated of her father after her mother's passing, but she they had fixed their relationship somewhat, so she had hopes. She called to her secretary who located Phillips and once the driver knocked her door and opened a little, she touched the shoulder of the angry pre-teen.

"Let's go, Jess," the girl marched out of the room and towards the elevator, both grownups following close. Sam walked with Jess to the principal office once they arrived to the building 45 minutes later. To avoid any issues, she told the principal a driver had picked her up, and got a not amused "Next time, I would be lovely you'll let us known beforehand, and avoid the whole staff going on a goose chase to find your daughter. Ten more minutes and we would have placed calls to the 911 and you"

Sam agreed with the Principal, it wasn't something she wanted happening either. She couldn't help to think what would have happened if they called her and Jess wasn't there yet. She probably would have called the Air Force and waited for a call to tell her where to go and how they would do the exchange. She shuddered.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Phillips asked, he couldn't avoid the question even knowing how much she hated being asked that one. She nodded.

"Can we go to the store now?" She asked when they started to move.

The moment she entered the store with Phillips on her heels, the vendor squealed and came quickly to check she was seeing her really.

"Ma'am, your friend, he told me you were kidnaped. I called the police." She added nervously.

"Yes, it was a failed attempt. Can we continued with the purchase, it's ill-advised for me to be here after what happened this morning."

"Oh, yes… I kept them apart, just in case." She smiled, "let me get them for you," added to the selected suits, she picked some shirts she thought would bring his eyes out or he would like, avoided the pink ones that her husband liked and soon, several bags were now in her possession. Phillips looked at her amused and then took the suits out of her hands with a smile, "Thanks ma'am!" the vendor added happily and accompanied them to the doors, then she frowned, "where's your friend anyway?" her eyes widened because she shouldn't be asking those kinds of questions to her clients.

"He's recovering," Sam smiled, "if you hadn't believed in him and called the police, he would have been in a much complicated place right now. Thank you"

The girl smiled brightly, apparently she had not only gained a decent extra over her sales, but she somehow had helped her customer not to be kidnaped and her friend to still be alive. "What a nice day" she smiled.

But as the definition of the day often is a matter of perspective, for Sam that day fell under the other side of the scale. She couldn't remember a shittier day. She was almost abducted, the Colonel was unconscious, his wife was angrier at her, her daughter hated her even more… and she still had to deal with the emotions she was barely holding. They got to the home, without a word spoken and with Sam looking from her cellphone to her window, making all the humanly possible to avoid Phillips eyes in the mirror. She asked him to tell whomever was on shift to take the bags and hang them at whatever room the Colonel had chosen before sprinting towards the elevator and the safety of her room.

Needing some reassurance, she decided to call her husband, and started to regret it when the fourth ring reached her ears.

"McKay," came his voice, and she bit her lower lip when she noticed he was distracted enough not to check who was calling, "Hello?"

"Rodney," she whispered

"Sam? What's wrong?" she sighed, the news of her almost abduction hadn't traveled to L.A.

"Nothing, I just…"

"Sam, Jess called… you have to stop overprotecting the kid. You know, two more years and she will be the same age you were when you left to college, she's only asking that from you, it's not like she's emancipating herself like you did at thirteen"

Yes, calling Rodney was a bad idea. How he managed to have a decent relationship with their daughter was something she still had to figure out. If she was an absent figure, Rodney was worse. She at least spent half of the year in their home, while he, was mostly away except for Jess birthday, Christmas and new year.

"I know that Rodney, but she took the bus and the metro to get to the office without letting anyone know where she was going," Sam explained.

"So? She was going to the office, you would be bound to find out where she ended up. And come on, Sam, just because she goes to a private school doesn't mean she can't take a bus. I took the bus half of my life and I'm fine"

"Look, I'm not over protecting her, she just knows better than leaving without telling anyone. And she has a driver for crying out loud. This is not why I was calling you"

"Okay, so what? You went to Cheyenne; did they assign you someone yet?"

"Yes,"

"Someone competent I presume"

"Colonel O'Neill,"

"From SG-1? Won't he bring more troubles? I mean, SG-1 is known for getting head first on issues," Rodney mused. "Is that why you are calling? Something happened?"

"They tried to abduct me again," she whispered.

"Oh, you have to call to the SGC then, and I have to go. See you soon," and he hung up on her. She sighed. Even more stressed out than before, she walked to the anteroom trying to decide if she was better hiding herself in work or dealing with her emotions on a bath when a knock on her door got her attention, "Come in," May one of the kitchen staff entered with a tray that she quickly lowered in the table.

"Oh kid, I'm glad you are okay. I brought you something to eat, I'll bet you didn't get anything," Sam smiled gratefully to Anita, she forgot completely she hadn't had anything since breakfast apart from the thousands of coffee cups she had consumed. But the smell of a freshly cooked meal made her stomach growl. "So, what happened?" Anita asked, once that May left the room.

Sam told her everything she dared to tell without falling apart or giving classified information away. After she finished, Anita prepared her a warm bath and she smiled gratefully at the older woman and was left alone to deal with her emotions.

Entering the bathroom, she connected her cellphone to a charger, knowing it shouldn't be long before she got the call to pick the O'Neill's out of the hospital and no matter how much she had picked and prodded the battery, the small thing still had a limit. She turned the radio on, and while undressing, tried to find anything decent to listen to, half of the stations were talking about her day and how unsafe the city had become. She sighed and moved the dial towards the classical one, "you can always count on the classics" she whispered.

Then in a graceful movement, she entered the tub and dipped her head underwater. Surrounded by the warmth her mind provided her all the memories of the day, until her lungs were burning and she had to gasp for air. She didn't notice the tears at first, then when the first sob wrecked her body, she got out of the tub and moved towards the shower… and cried under the hot spring until her cellphone brought her out of her stressed misery. She sobered up the best she could, with the years of practice under her belt.

"Carter," she answered looking her face at the mirror, grateful that her eyes didn't get puffy after what she just did. "I'll be there in an hour"

She added her request for a driver on the software that was put around the house for such things, she completed her shower and dressed, grabbed her wallet and cellphone and without looking back she went down.

"Kid, McIntyre is waiting for you," Anita told her when she spotted her. "I thought you would agree that Phillips was in need of a rest," Sam nodded agreeing. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Oh, there's no need Anita. I'm okay, I only have to get there, pay the bills, drive them home and return. Nothing I can't manage," she kissed the old woman cheek. And got out of the house, she inhaled deeply when she saw the car waiting for her and the newest driver, Angus McIntyre waiting for her.

"Good Evening Ma'am, where to?" he asked politely and blushing under her gaze, she jumped in the front seat, something she rarely did. Before giving him the instructions to the hospital. She talked with the man the whole way to the hospital giving him directions whenever he looked lost. When they finally got there, she thanked him and smiled when the blush tinted all the way to the tips of his ears. "Should I wait for you here, Ma'am or do you want me to come?" he asked, Michael Phillips had told him to always ask, if he didn't know for sure. Anita had told him not to lose sight of her.

"Walk me to the door," she affirmed when, standing straight, she felt an ounce of fear running through her body, he nodded, "You can come along if you want to, McIntyre, the inside is always warmer than the outside. Or you can go back and wait in the car. Either way, I won't be long," she told him, making her way towards the elevator.

She entered the elevator and nodded when she saw the driver doubting, the doors closed and she pressed the button. She walked the distance separating her from the room and smiled when she heard the happy exchange inside the designated room.

"And when I put the uniform, four people came out of nowhere and they started to make me turn and raise my arms," Charlie laughed.

Sam flatted herself next to the door with a sigh, and decided to return after she solved everything else, she knew the moment she entered that room the happy environment would disappear. But there was just so much time she could take before having to go there. And that moment, had gotten faster than she hoped for, with a deep breath, she knocked the door separating her from the O'Neill's.

"Come in," Colonel O'Neill's voice shouted over the noise of his kid and the tv. And she smiled.

"Good Evening Colonel, Mrs O'Neill, Charlie…"

"Hey, Mrs C. School looks awesome! Tomorrow will be my first day." He smiled, "And then next day I get to go to the beach! You think my dad will be able to come?" he asked and Sam nodded.

"Will see, kiddo," Jack told him, he was already on a set of clean clothes, someone had packed for him. "Ah, thank you for remembering the clothes," he said patting his pants.

"I'll make sure to thank Anita, it was all her doing," she told him, avoiding the glare she felt from his wife. "I'm just here to tell you, you are free to go. McIntyre is waiting for us at the parking lot."

"are you sure? Your Doctor was pretty adamant on let me stay the night," he smirked.

"Yes, your Doctor talked with him and she told him he better sign you off before you start to create havoc, her words apparently." He snorted

"Yup, that does sound like the little Napoleonic power monger we have as CMO," he added,

"I don't think Doctor Frasier would be too happy if she hears you calling like that."

"Oh, he calls Janet like that all the time," Sarah added, interrupting their exchange. "She's a good friend"

"That's what I've been told. Doctor's aside, I'll wait for you outside," she told them and left the room.

"Jack, you should stay with us, so I can take care of you," Sarah's voice reached her.

"Sarah… I know you can, but I assure you there's nothing wrong with me. Also, all my stuff is back at the house, it doesn't make sense for me to stay with you if I have nothing there."

"Nothing?"

"Sarah…" he warned, eyebrow raised and looking at Charlie who pretended wasn't listening to them by keeping his eyes fixed on the tv.

"Okay, but I still believe you should ask for a reassignment, it's not safe for you!"

"After one day? No… I can't ask for a reassignment if I haven't even tried and you know it."

"Fine!" she shouted and stormed out of the room.

She found herself coming closer to the darned Doctor Carter who was standing by the nurse station, talking with one of them about who knew what, she approached the younger woman and she hissed to her, "this is all your fault, you are going to make a child fatherless because of a whim"

Jack saw his wife approaching his charge and cringed, he saw Sarah telling something to the Doctor but he was too far away to know what it was. When she turned around he knew it wasn't something pretty, but he also saw the Doctor quickly composing herself before she saw them and all was hidden under a bright smile.

The ride to the condo was awkward, but Sam chose to ride on the front seat just to avoid having to be too close to the O'Neill woman. She decided against accompany them to the penthouse, and waited for the Colonel in the car, telling him to take his time. She went to the back seat and closed her eyes, and looked at the young driver. She only hoped he wouldn't do any comments, and thankfully he didn't.

The Colonel was back around twenty minutes later, he apologized for taking so long and explained that his son wanted him to tuck him in, a pang of jealousy took over Sam's body, she cleared her throat.

"Did you talk with Hammond?" he asked, looking at the window.

"Yes, we are going there tomorrow. If you feel up to it?" she asked looking at him.

"Sure, not the first time on that roller coaster, and I'm pretty sure Janet will be thrilled to check me up," he looked at her and he saw the stress lines in her eyes and how his comment only managed to make her lips just curve a little on a semblance of a smile. He knew if he was in her position, he would be still trying to come up to terms with the day, but he wasn't her and he wasn't even a close friend to her, so he opted out for something that could keep her mind out of the day. "So, dvd player then?"

She nodded, this time she looked around before she tried to pick the box out of the back of the car, and he picked the same box they were watching the last time. They laughed all the way, not even noticing how the city became townhouses and how those transformed into green walls and high fences. All in all, Jack thought, watching his charge laugh wholeheartedly at the yellow cartoons, it wasn't such a bad day.


	9. Briefings and worries

Hey there! Here we go with one more… it's only day 3 and they are still around not in denial yet. But getting there soon, next chapter will bring one more day, more Jack and Sam, and some Sarah being nice for once, and probably a fast forward to see if McKay decides to jump into the fun (it all depends on the muse, of course). And as usually, I'm babbling!

Enjoy!

M.

PS: Thanks for the reviews! You are all awesome

 **Chapter 9 – Briefings and worries**

"You know, you don't actually have to run with me every day," Sam's voice came behind his back from where he was waiting for her to appear at the entrance of the house.

"Well, even if I didn't, which I do… you didn't tell me any specifics about our trip to SGC today and I knew you would be down here…" he pointed while she stretched.

"Touché! Would you prefer the so called woods today?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yup, I better know all the place sooner than later," he half grinned as they both started to jog.

"Well, I was actually planning on running only 5 miles today." She looked at him from the corner of his eyes and he frowned, "There's not enough time for 10. Using our yesterday time as a reference, 5 miles should be half an hour to forty-five minutes, give it or take, add 40 for shower and quick breakfast. That would make us leave around 7:40ish. Don't worry I'll make sure we get a nice brunch on board. And… we need to get to the hangar and then to Andrews and then to Cheyenne…. From here to the hangar is twenty minutes since we don't need to go through the city. And we should be getting to Andrews in two and half hours after that …"

"Okay, okay... I get the picture, not enough time to fly, too much time flying," he interrupted, raising his hands and she grinned. They didn't say more as they both pushed harder their steps to complete their run as fast as they could. They got to the hangar where the plane was just waiting for them to take off. They moved quickly and in no time they were airborne. Sam started to work and tried hard not to sigh in gratitude when she noticed the Colonel takin his computer out. Her concentration wasn't long lived and lasted until the constant movement of the Colonel started to distract her. She managed to keep working, but her heart wasn't on it as it would if she travelled alone or with Rodney. Even when he was just playing, she found herself constantly looking at him out of the corner of her eyes. Half way through the flight, when she saw him walking past her and towards the cabin, she wondered with a sigh how he managed to keep her so distracted when no one else managed to do so.

Since they rushed in to the hangar, he was introduced to the pilot, a man on his late fifties named Cooper, and to a flight attendant a girl of 24ish named Eisler. Why Doctor Carter used everybody's last names was something he was yet to find. However, after two days and the continuous introduction of several staff members, he wasn't surprised at all when she introduced them not even taking a second to think of their names, which contradicted anything he knew about rich people and their ways with their employees. Then they were airborne, she immersed herself at work. Trying not to disturb her, he took the laptop she gave him, and decided to try and keep himself from bothering her by playing solitaire. He didn't last long, there was so much computer gaming he could do before going stir crazy with boredom. A quarter of the flight he mused, walking to the back where Eisler blushed at seeing him and then to the cabin, where he had a non-chat with Cooper, which meant they acknowledged and nodded to each other as he sat there looking outside for a while.

"Colonel," her voice came clear from her side when he walked out of the cabin, "I don't know about you but I'm starving, my coffee left me quite a while ago. Would you like something to eat?" She smiled, they were halfway there, she calculated watching her clock, "its whatever we have here until we get to the SGC and I'm pretty sure we will be dragged head first into the meeting"

"Sure," he said moving to the seat in front of her. Eisler was bringing out food for a full platoon soon after. They ate and drank on a comfortable silence, and awkward glances.

An hour after and just as she foretold, they landed at Andrews 2 hours and 20 minutes after departing, a transport was already waiting for them. Their transport breezed through security both out of Andrews and into Cheyenne.

"For some reason I'm pretty sure if they could speed up the lift they would have done it just to get us down there faster," he mumbled making her lips curl.

"You know, I happen to agree with you there, Colonel" she told him making his lips curl in a half smile.

The briefing room was half way full, this time both Daniel and Teal'c were included, they all nodded when they entered it. Daniel actually stood up to shake Jack's hand and embrace Sam quickly. The way she avoided his eyes told him she wasn't in the mood for sharing her feelings on the subject. Although, the whole idea of the meeting was to share the darned subject.

General Hammond started the meeting by asking Sam to recount all the facts that occurred during her almost kidnap, what she saw and what she felt naquadah wise. Then Major Samuels told them that, they had the only arrested guy at the SGC, and he was being questioned, but so far he hadn't say anything. He was checked for any kind of cyanide pill Jaffa version but they found nothing.

"Maybe I should interrogate him!" Jack exclaimed

"Colonel O'Neill, the best interrogators in the nation are interrogating the Jaffa, and he's not spilling any beans"

"Then make him!" General Hammond raised a not amused eyebrow, "come on, General, you better than anyone else outside a SG team knows who they get their information…"

"Indeed they get them on a rougher way," Teal'c agreed. "I offer my services to try and talk him out of the brutality,"

"Thanks T, that sounds good," the Jaffa bowed

"I don't believe he will take my offer," he added, making Jack groan.

"Gentleman, we do have two other faces around which we should be trying to find, they certainly shouldn't be able to disappear out of thin air"

"Oh, apparently they can alright, the police searched the whole downtown area for leads and they came up empty handed. As you already imagine, the finger prints are unknown."

Sam pinched the bridge of her nose.

"So we are exactly where we started," Sam whispered.

"No, actually know we know for sure there's a Goa'uld involved. Jaffa wouldn't come alone to try and get you," Daniel added giving her a reassuring smile and a light press on her hand.

"The Jaffa won't move without the order of their Prime Minister or System Lord," Teal'c agreed.

"Okay, while we are still almost at point A, I do have a request to bring forward for your analysis."

"Go ahead, ma'am," Samuels told her

"Thanks Major, my request is fairly simple. I need to know if the Government or the Air Force are prepared to give full protection to my daughter. Certainly, she's not a liability at the moment, at least not at the level I am. However, given the fact the Jaffa wore human clothes and were in possession of guns, it's fairly easy to conclude there's a human or humans involved and they are bound to find about her existence. I'm bringing this up, because, even though I know it might be a while until they find about her, when they do, and if they get her… there's no way in hell I will protect the Tok'ra over my own flesh and blood"

"Are you threatening us?" Samuels scoffed.

"Oh no, I'm merely stating the truth."

"We will bring your request to the higher ups, ma'am. But it's out of our hands," Samuels added and she bowed accepting his comment.

"Well, if there's no other subject to approach, I'll suggest you all to go back to your tasks," General Hammond finished and then he saw her stood up, "Doctor Carter, do you mind to have a talk with me?" She nodded, and followed him to his office. He smiled warmly at her and she answered in the same way, then he cleared his throat.

"I'm fine, really. I was in need of some time to process it first, but I also needed to inform you of the situation. Now, I had that time… I'm good," she interrupted him before he even started to get uncomfortable for the pep talk.

"Are you sure?"

"You don't need to do this, Uncle George, I'm not 13 anymore. You don't have to step up instead of my father."

"I know, I still want to, I do care about you, Sam… and it seems fair to step up for your father when he's not around," she kissed his check softly and then she leaned against his desk,

"I love you Uncle George, I don't know what I would do if you hadn't worried about me way back when. And I appreciate your concern. Now, I'm really not concerned about my safety"

"I know; I see what I can do…"

"But don't get your hopes to high?" she asked and he nodded. "Don't worry, thankfully if the Government can't, I can pay for it. If you don't mind I'm going to talk with Daniel… he seemed as worried as you for my wellbeing"

"Go," he smiled at her and shook his head when she was out of his office, "That girl will never change," he muttered to himself.

After the meeting, Jack was lucky this time and he was able to escape with Daniel's to his lab without being stopped. He even closed the door as soon as they were in.

"Jack?" Daniel asked confused by that action

"What? It's just a door Daniel" he huffed and Daniel walked up to open it again, he could almost hear Jack whimper at this action.

"Really, that's all?"

"There are way too many airheads still here," he pointed not amused

"And…" he trailed knowing that even dealing with the intelligence team wouldn't provoke such reaction on the Colonel.

"Nothing really," Jack dismissed, grabbing some sort of half sculpture from Daniel's shelf.

"Let's pretend I believe you, just so you leave that piece in its place." He smiled when Jack left the piece as if it burned him, "Have you met Rodney yet?"

"Who?"

"Rodney Mckay… Sam's husband"

"Oh, that Rodney… nope, he left the day we arrived," Jack commented passing a finger through the many books.

"Then… you are still lucky. Not one of the most … hum… sensitive person around the globe," he grimaced, "I told you I was against that marriage." He shrugged, but didn't raise his eyes to meet Jack's questioning ones. That wasn't a conversation he would have with the Colonel.

"I haven't met her daughter either…" Daniel face fell at that one.

"I see," he said pushing the glasses he preferred to use when on base, and shook his head sadly.

"What DO you see?" Jack asked, it was kind of weird for him that the Doctor's daughter wasn't around when they got home, whenever he returned from a mission, Charlie would always come and happily say hello to him, well, he got a little less demonstrative with the passing of the years, but he did come out of his game to welcome him home.

"Well, if Jess isn't around, either they are both traveling, which we both know it wasn't true at least not for a day. Or she has an important exam, which I hope, …. Or she's avoiding Sam again. I won't explain that one," he added belatedly.

"Nor I would ask you to do it," They fell silent for a while, and soon they heard the classical sounds of heels against concrete. And they both had guilty looks on their faces.

"I thought I would find you here," Janet's amused voice came from the door and he groaned.

"SO that's why you were so secretive and wanted my door closed!"

"Yes," Janet smiled widely, "You know how much he hates my picking and prodding, but I do need to get you checked, Colonel. Shall we?" she asked moving to give him space to go first.

"Nothing is wrong with me, Janet, I'm was just zatted," he complained.

"Then, nothing would come up on your tests, come on. Let's go, I heard Sam will be free in an hour or so."

"You know Doctor Carter?"

"Of course, she had to help with many of our equipment's at medical bay. She has been helping us with that since the beginning of the program."

"And you call her Sam?"  
"Yup, she's a really nice person and we hit it of, and Cassie loves her."

"Is there anyone on base she doesn't know?"

"Most of the SG teams… she keeps her head buried in tech. So your regular SG Team doesn't even get a glimpse of her. Not even when she comes for upgrades on the dial program, I know there's a tight schedule for those." They arrived to the infirmary and soon any trace of conversation with the Doc was replaced by questions about his health, wellbeing and several tests.

When she left General's Hammond office, she walked towards Daniel's lab to get a chat with her friend, however, she ran into Doctor Felger when she entered the elevator. She smiled at him and let him detour her to the science labs first. She heard the call for Colonel O'Neill to Hammond's office sometime later. And then, it was her name the one called in, with that she excused herself and answered the call.

Minutes earlier, Jack went out of Hammond's office swearing against every uptight officer and public personnel in D.C area, and took the stairs to Daniel's lab just to blow some stem.

"You survived," Daniel affirmed mockingly making the Colonel roll his eyes. Then Daniel looked at his friend, he was clenching his jaw in a manner he knew it meant there was something happening that he didn't like. "what happened?"

"What?"

"Was there something wrong in your scans? On your tests?" He worried, Jack shook his head no, "oh, you were called to the General's office…" Daniel trailed and Jack nodded once, he pressed the bridge of his nose and then passed a hand through his hair before huffing.

"They are going to deny the request she made, her daughter won't get a safety net," he left out angrily, how could they not protect a child was beyond any explanations for him.

"Oh."

"Just oh?"

"Well, I don't think such answer would be unexpected, Jack. And I'm pretty sure she saw this as one of the possible outcomes," Daniel told him calmly, too calmly for Jack's taste.

"So you agree?" He questioned, eyebrow raised and disapproval written all over his face.

"It's not that… I'm just telling you, she knows her daughter isn't a liability. She is, you are, I am… no matter what Jess isn't"

"But if they get to her, they can use her as a leverage, and we both know Goa'ulds will be capable of using her, even if it's a NID rogue team, you know they are capable of using children to get what they need"

"Yes, but still, Jack…" the look he received made him flinch, "Look, you have a whole lot of knowledge of what's going on here and out there, you got some nice enemies both Earthbound and outbound, isn't that right?"

"Your point is?"

"You are a liability Jack, but you aren't requesting for a safety net for Charlie,"

"Daniel's right, Colonel. I didn't lose anything by trying, and I had to, because of the involvement of aliens and foreign weapons. However, I knew this could happen…" Daniel's eyebrow rose in questioning, "General Hammond just told me" she smiled sadly. "I already placed a call and a team of civilians will be following her around, hopefully she won't notice them. If she does, she won't be a happy camper," she grimaced remembering how badly Jess had reacted to her worrying about her. "Do you still have something pending here, Colonel?"

"Nope, I'm all done… although I heard there was cake at the commissary"

"Ah, it's all packed for us to take," she smiled, "for dinner…"

"Awesome, are we going then?"

"Yes,"

"Sam…" Daniel trailed and she smiled dismissively, he understood though, she already dealt with her emotions and moved on, "take care," he added before engulfing her on a tight hug that conveyed all the worries he had.

They left the SGC not long after that, he noticed there was a crate of sorts in the Humvee that took them to Andrews. "The food," she smiled and giggled when he couldn't stop his grimace to show. When they got there, he was surprised to find another set of pilot-flight attendant, Chang and Miller, already waiting for them. "I have to work," she explained his unasked question with a shrug. The food was out of the crate not too long after takeoff, he was surprised to find out it wasn't their regular meal but decent one, "Dinner isn't from the Commissary, the cake is," she explained, and he smiled because no matter how bad meals were, cake was usually to die for. Then, after dinner and coffee, she told him she really needed to work. And then went to the back of the plane and came with a box and gave it to him. There was a set of dvd's, a Gameboy, a headphone and a yo-yo. He took them out eagerly trying not to show the glee he felt, while she tried not to enjoy so much the childish behavior of a supposed tough man.

With him distracted enough, they felt on a comfortable silence, he absorbed in his many options of distraction and her in work. Sam found out she could work much better know that she had started to get used to his antics and at the same time, she was getting better at checking him out from the corner of her eye while working. He also pretended not to observe her, but when the sigh she left out was loud enough, not in volume but in body expression, he turned the Gameboy off. She was propped over her hand which was placed over the table and she was rubbing her face tiredly, the signs of an imminent headache, he thought, or of a lot of stress.

"Why do you do it, Doctor?" he whispered to her in the darkness of the plane, the lights were dimmed a long while ago. In case he wanted to sleep, she told him while she continued typing in the dark, a tall glass of water by her side, which at some point was changed for a tall cup of coffee. The moment he started talking, she stilled her hand and straightened herself, and he moved to seat in front of her like they did during both brunch and dinner.

"Excuse me?" she asked confused, following his movements around, her face had what he deemed as a cute frown, illuminated only by the light of her laptop. He turned the lights over them on.

"Why do you do it? This…" he pointed to her laptop, and to the whole space they were occupying, "you leave everyone behind and hoop in a plane and travel back and forth in a day, to fix some whatnot for someone else… isn't it hard?"

"Leaving my family, you mean?" she asked and he nodded. "Isn't that exactly what you do, Colonel? If I recall correctly, your team has scheduled missions and you have to leave your family behind every time, and contrary to me, you do put your live in the line" she stated.

"Yes, but it's different," he explained.

"Because you are male and I am female?" she asked more to take that out of her list than for actually believing he would be like that.

"What? No, nothing like that… I'm no chauvinistic pig." She smiled at his words, and he did too, not too sure if he did it because of his words or because of the smile she gave him, then he looked at her who was observing him expectantly, "Let's see If I can explain myself, which you'll see I think it might be one of the reason why SG-1 runs into so many issues,"

"I don't think so, somehow I'm under the impression you are smarter than you let know, probably better with words too, but we digress, go on… explain yourself," he blushed but the lights helped it to go unnoticed.

"What I mean is… I need the job; I have a family who needs food over the table. You… well, you don't really need it. Not anymore at least"

"So you are saying I should stay home because I have money?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Nope…" he answered raising his hands in surrender, "I'm ASKING why you don't stay home if you have money to do it. There's a difference…" she considered his question. "Don't answer if it's personal"

"To tell you the truth, you have one family who needs food over the table, I… have many. If I stop, if I decide one day that my family needs my undivided attention, then I know my decision will affect hundreds. Yes, some of the companies will remain… but, I know them, I know how the multibillion dollar companies work and how they exploit everyone working for them to make the most out of every invested dime, I know the moment I step out, whomever buys me out, will apply rules that will not be comfortable for the people who work for me. However, even if they didn't exist. How could I not work knowing what I know?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know what I do? At least for the SGC?"

"The dialing soft and experiments with the nerd squad? Oh, and according with Janet, you also help with tech at the medical bay," he attempted and she smiled.

"Well, among other things. What I do, mainly, it doesn't seem as important, my main task is classify artifacts… I, well, me and a team of people, we catalogue them. Then we reverse engineer them and we sent them back to you as tech for you to try out in the field."

"What's in for you there?"

"Well, we modify the tech and some years later we can sell it, the patents are all in our hands and even with them, the whole idea of from tactical to practical still remains. People still is under the impression the military did it first."

"Hum… but we do have a team of our own at Groom Lake…"

"Yes, they are quite good too, I was offered a position there at some point but decided against it."

"You are stalling," he told her squinting at her, "you are willingly sharing information not to answer what I asked you…"

"You got me…" she sighed, "I've been working with technology for so long that it's almost second nature to me to understand what I'm seeing, no matter from where it comes. I can piece it out and I know where it should go. SGC lab sends me regularly images of what they got and I can give them a short list of what they do, just out of experience. For instance, last morning, I checked 20 different artifacts and they were moved to different labs, private and military owned, two remain in my power because I need more information about them to know what they do, I need to piece them apart to see if they will be usable for something else or not,"

"Okay…" he trailed waiting for her to make her point.

"Know that you understand what I do… let's pretend I drop it. I quit and move, I don't know, to Bali, and one question remains in my head: Who will take over what I was doing? I'm not irreplaceable, but given what I know, that question will weigh heavily in my mind; after all, we only have one Earth, Colonel; and my family might be at the Genesis list, but if we are in Bali, who grants me we will be getting to the SGC on time to make it out? Who grants me that whoever replaces me worked hard enough to allow Earth to win?"

"It is a valid point," he agreed.

"Now, what would you do in my position, Colonel? What would you do, if you didn't have to work? Let's make it realistic even, what would you say if I told you: come to work with me, be my bodyguard, I will pay your four times what you are making and you won't have to fight anymore. Your greatest concern will be keeping people away from me, and getting out of work on time to visit your family… maybe we could even come up with a schedule, you get to go home every night, unless I have a party or travelling. I'll throw in there an incredible medical plant including dental. A car, a home for your family and payed vacations twice a year for 15 days each or maybe four a year for a week each, wherever you want, I'll pay them… I'll even add the tuition and yearly payments of your son school and if he does good, I'll fund his college…what would you say?" She challenged him

"I …." He doubted. And she somehow knew he was afraid to make her feel rejected.

"Don't worry I won't mind your answer, it's a hypothetical question anyways,"

"I would love to work with you," he added politely

"But…" she smiled knowingly.

"I wouldn't take your offer"

"You'll see, Colonel, at the end of the day, you are just as screwed up as I am by the program," he looked at her bewildered, and she snorted, "don't look at me that way, Colonel, I'm pretty sure if you were 'just a pilot instructor' as before you retired, or even if you kept retired, you would have taken my offer without even thinking about it," he grimaced confronted by the truth. So he decided to backfire.

"And what about you, what would you do if you never got mixed up with the SGC business?" he asked amused now.

"I would be a very boring housewife," she added in dismay and they both laughed.

"May I speak freely?" he asked once they stopped.

"Of course, Colonel… I'm not your CO"

"Truth to be told, I can't picture you as a boring housewife"

"Truth to be told?" she asked and he nodded in agreement, "I can't either"

"Ma'am?" Miller asked when she noticed both had stopped talking and started chuckling.

"Yes?" Sam turned around to face the girl.

"The pilot said we will be start landing in 5," Miller told them before disappearing in the back. They accommodated themselves for the landing and he asked one last question which made her smile.

"Would you really offer all that?"

"If you are as good as you read, Colonel… probably more"


	10. Family Day

Sorry, it was one of those weeks… /-\ But here we go, thanks for the reviews!

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 10 – Family day**

The next morning, they went for their apparently established routine of running at 5ish, they didn't talk falling in the comfortable step which they found out it was good for both of them during their two previous runs. She noticed the Colonel looked especially quiet that morning, just nodding at her when she greeted him before they went out.

When she walked to the breakfast table, he wasn't there. He joined her a while later when she was trying not to throw her book at the wall out of sheer boredom. If he acknowledged her, she didn't notice, but she did observe him moving around the room. He looked glum, she decided while staring at him from over the rim of her coffee cup. He also looked tired, and that was no wonder, they had been running long days since the Wednesday, when he was officially stuck with her.

"You got here on a Wednesday, right?" she asked, a cute frown on her face.

"Yup. Well, it was at night, you could count it as almost Thursday," he pointed.

"Huh," she said remembering Charlie's words when she got to the hospital on Thursday night. He had asked her if his father could join them on a trip to the beach. She was so deep in thought she was looking at him without seeing him.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked trying not to blush under her gaze.

"Nope, oh geez, sorry!" she excused herself when she noticed she was staring, blushing slightly, "I wasn't staring per se, I was just remembering something I heard before"

"Yeah, I figured that much. You shouldn't think that hard, Doctor, I could hear your brain working from way over here," he joked making her smile.

"Well, I was staring…" she blushed deeply at her admission, "because I was remembering something your son said, and I believe you had a date to the beach today?" she questioned more than affirmed

"Whatcha saying?"

"Oh, I'm not saying anything, Colonel. I remember he asked you out, I also remember not negating such petition." He looked at her with a frown, "Colonel, what I'm saying is… I'm going to stay home today, I won't go anywhere but here, go… have fun with your kid. They don't stay in any age for long,"

"Are you serious?" he asked barely containing his excitement, "I mean, are you sure you won't want to go to the beach yourself? Or for a stroll in the property? Shopping?" he asked, offering different situations while she negated with her head every time, then before he continued she raised her hand.

"I mean it, Colonel. I'm behind in work, I will stay in to complete it." He was about to start again but she beat him, "If I want to go out, then I will call you and wait for you to arrive, I'm in no mood of getting abducted just because I wasn't careful enough to keep myself on your watch," she added with a shrug, he squinted looking hard at her trying to measure if she was being honest or if she was bluffing her way out of a bodyguard.

"Ok, you got yourself a deal," he said extending his hand to close the deal. She smiled at him and grabbed his hand. If the other felt the pleasant current going through their bodies, it didn't show.

"It was a good deal," she told him, "now, go! Go and get yourself home, spend some time with your family," she shooed him.

Seconds later, he was almost sprinting out of the dining room to call his wife to let her know he was joining them. And Sam, couldn't do anything but shook her head amused by his childish behavior. She finished her breakfast and went to the kitchen in search of Anita, she normally only worked the Saturday for half day, before going to her family for the weekend. The Doctor informed her oldest staff member that she was going to stay in her lab all day, and disappeared to the master room. Anita sighed, she knew her boss well enough to let a schedule for late lunch and visits to replenish her coffee or water prepared in the board.

An hour later, Jack looked at the daunting double doors of the master bedroom with a mix of dread and anxiety. He knocked but there was no answer, Anita told him to just go in because she wouldn't hear him knock anyway, so he did. He entered the small lobby and remembered the instructions. 'When you open the main door, go to the door at your left.' He walked up to it and knocked again, once more it was unanswered. 'Open the door and you will find yourself in her sitting room, take the third door starting from the left or the first one on the right.' He doubted a little but it was easily erased once he opened the second door, because the one Anita had indicated him, was actually opened and he could easily see the equipment's surrounding the windows and he hoped she was somewhere in there.

And she was, working on something that looked small and delicate, judging by the tweezers she had in one hand and the thin screwdriver slowly turning in the other one. He waited for her to stop, and observed her in what he deemed as her natural habitat. She was a completely different person in there. She finished and she walked to the computer that sat further inside and he decided that it was a good moment as any to let her know about his presence.

"Well, I'll be damned. You do own a pair of jeans," he said, she turned around and faced him a hand still over her racing heart. "It's only logical since you own sports stuff… that you own other stuff too, I mean" he said, frowning at his own words, she smiled.

"Well yes, it should be quite obvious that not even I would use suits while being home," she added amusedly.

"I don't know... I will need more proof of that ... hypothesis...before I get to my own conclusions," he grinned and she snorted.

"I would never believe that my clothing choice would be subjected to the scientific method," she beamed at him.

"Well, I have to confess something," he told her coming closer, and in a secretive tone he added,  
"it's a scientist thing, if you must know," he smiled cockily

"What are you doing here? I distinctly remember telling you I would spend the day home. And that you should go to your family." She asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, well… I talked with Anita and then with Phillips and he was going to get me a car. But, apparently, they are all taken, so I went back to Anita and asked where were you… and she pointed me here. An in house lab, no wonder you call yourself a workaholic."

"Oh yeah, they run different errands, especially on Saturday," she grimaced remembering that fact, "And I'll let the other comment go, after all you saved me"

"About that..." they both flinched

"Is something the matter?" she asked worried, maybe he wanted to let her know he was going to ask for a reassignment, she thought.

"Well; I was searching for you, because after the… incident… everybody kept walking over eggshells around me, and I've been zatted millions of times…"

"And you being zatted has something to do with me because…?" she trailed, squinting.

"Because it diverted the attention and it left me wondering… how are you holding out? With the whole thing, not just the … last piece of it," she shuddered involuntarily.

Since the first incident no one had asked her how the situation made her feel. Sure, all who cared about her asked her if she was okay. But being okay after an incident or two was one thing, being aware that she was being followed by aliens since the moment she felt the naquadah in the first failed attempt while being pointed as the Earth link for the future of the Tok'ra and Earth relationship was a whole different set of emotions. She bit her lower lip, he just waited trying to still as much confidence as a four-day relationship could, which apparently worked, her eyes softened a little.

"I'm… hanging… I'm still trying to pretend there aren't aliens out there trying to get me," she smiled sadly. "Or a political relationships depending on me"

"Doctor, if you ever need to talk… I have quite the experience on being tracked by aliens," he smiled and she did you too. "And also blowing up political relationships"

"Thank you, Colonel. I will bear that on mind." she snorted, but looked at him gratefully. He shifted his weight over the profoundness of the moment, "Just please don't tell me about the way they extract information out of someone," she grinned with a fake shudder to take some of the weight off.

"Sure, I'll keep it to myself," he winked.

"Excuse me kid, but have you seen… Colonel O'Neill, here you are…" Anita interrupted them, "I'm sorry to interrupt, I was just trying to find you to let you know the only car they will have available today is stuck in traffic, they believe it will be a couple of hours before it's out"

"Oh well," he sighed trying not to look so crestfallen. He was really hoping to spend the day with his family. But Sam noticed, she saw the exact moment when his hope was crushed and she bit her lower lip. 'At least one of us should still have a normal family,' she thought.

"I have to call my wife to let her know I'll not be getting there today," he started to leave the room when her hand reached for his arm.

"That's not necessarily true," She said tentatively, Anita frowned. "you can take one of mine, Colonel," she offered. Anita looked at Sam as if she just grown another head.

"Well, I would, Doctor… but they are all taken." He answered not following her line of thoughts. She rolled her eyes, of course he was no mind reader! Instead of trying to explain what she was saying, she grabbed his hand, ignoring the sensations that such simple gesture brought on her every time and she pulled him out of the lab.

"Come," she told him and marched straight to the elevator. Once inside she noticed she still was grabbing his hand, and she let it go blushing. Trying hard to ignore the awkward atmosphere that had settled, she pressed -1 the moment Anita entered the elevator space. She could feel Anita's eyes on her and she tried hard not to look at the woman. She rarely allowed anyone to use her cars, not even Phillips. Rodney didn't even get a key to the place, but there she was, showing her collection to someone who four days ago was a complete stranger.

"You can take any one you like, Colonel… they all are in perfect status, I would recommend any of the convertible ones. The Porsche Carrera is always a winner," she added pointing to the black car.

"You sure, Doctor?"

"Of course, it's just a car. And I'm pretty sure you can handle it," she said walking to the safety box where all the keys were hanging.

"But that car… "

"Has fuel and it works and it has insurance in case anything happens. Take it Colonel, I insist… or at least, take it for a ride, if the ride doesn't convince you, then you can call Mrs. O'Neill and explain her that one SUV will be available in two hours," she shrugged, dangling the key in front of him. And he took it grinning at her. "Oh, shoot, we need to create an entrance for your hand, otherwise you won't be allowed to enter. It's 15 minute tops and then you are free"

True to her word, fifteen minutes later he was back at the garage taking the recommended car out of its parking spot and towards the sunny day. He looked at the house he was leaving and then he sped out. It was early enough he didn't get stuck in traffic and as the Doctor had asked him, he parked the car inside the parking lot of the building.

He slid the card in front of the parking lot entrance and he cringed at the amount of people who was waiting for a ride up. The ride to the penthouse was slow, too slow for his taste, people seemed to be pouring into the elevator from the lobby and pressing all the possible buttons. But even the slow ride was worth it when he opened the door to the penthouse with a loud, "Honey, I'm home"

The tiles floor swallowed the sounds of padded feet but he was soon forced to take a couple steps back to regain some equilibrium, since Charlie had decided to use him as a speed stopper. Sarah came out on a more sedated pace.

"Dad! I thought you wouldn't come! I have to thank Mrs. C!" Jack smiled but he was carefully assessing his wife demeanor. She looked happy.

"Honey! I was starting to get worried," she told him kissing him. "Oh, there's something Charlie wanted to ask you, Jack, I told him I'm fine with it but it's up to you because you will be the one driving around," Jack frowned.

"What is it, kiddo?"

"Well… I have this classmate and her parents aren't home, so she stays at the school. She was really nice to me and all, and I told her we would be visiting some beaches, and she asked if she could come? I told her I would call her to her school room to let her know if it was okay?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure, no kid should spend a sunny day like this on a school… but there's an issue" he frowned and saw Charlie's hopes crushing, "I have no idea where your school is, kiddo"

"I know how to get there, I went with him and the driver," Sarah said and Charlie pumped his fist in the air. Then he blushed.

"Go call her, I'm not too sure who long it would take but we will pick her"

"Cool! Thanks dad"

Forty minutes and several wrong turns later, they stopped outside the gates of the school, which resembled way too much the house Jack was currently living at, at least in size of the property and the green around it. They didn't have credentials to go into the school therefore where stopped by the guards at the gate. Something he was pretty happy with.

"There she is," Charlie shouted happily pointing towards a blur getting more clear. She slowed down near the gates and waved the guards, flashing a paper before they let her come out. Charlie got down of the car and waved at her, and she came happily to meet them

"Whoa, nice ride!" she exclaimed, making them grin. "There's one like this one in my house, no one ever uses it," she said as she jumped in the back of the car. "Hi, I'm Meredith" she smiled gracefully. There was something in the girl that made him feel he knew her from somewhere. "You should be the parents, pleasure to meet you Mrs O'Neill, Colonel" she grinned and that feeling cursed trough him again.

They set their ways to La Jolla Cove, 'the most photographed beach in San Diego," according with his wife, who had brought her camera out. All the way to the beach, he kept looking at the girl trough the rear mirror.

"Is something wrong, Colonel?" she asked from the back seat, seeing Charlie's father was observing her.

"Nope, it's … you look familiar. But it might be the eyes," he told her and tried hard not to keep staring at her.

"So, Meredith, why are you at school?" Sarah asked turning around, trying to keep her hair at bay with one hand, the girl shrugged, doing exactly the same with hers.

"Well, my parents travel a lot. It's easier to be at school than to be moved back and forth. Is not like they are divorced or something for me to be living like that." She dismissed, "But I prefer if we don't talk about them, it's kind of a touchy subject"

"Don't worry, honey… I wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable," Sarah said touching her softly, "We are out here to have fun, I didn't intend to make you sad"

"So, to which one are we going?" she asked happily, quickly changing subjects.

"To La Jolla cove, I was told it's beautiful."

"Yes, it is." She smiled sadly.

"Is something wrong?" Charlie asked seeing her down.

"My mother used to bring me there whenever she was in town. Sometimes she would take me from school just to go there. It was a long time ago… we should go to downtown after the park. Tons of fun there and downtown, where there's a huge shopping area, I know some places that are really good for lunch"

"Downtown?" she hummed in answer.

"Yup, downtown la Jolla I mean. Then you can throw me back at school. Or maybe we can go the movies?" she asked hopefully.

"We'll see."

They walked around the beach for a while, in some moment between the look of glee on Sarah's face whenever she took a good picture and the laughter of the kids who ran around pointing to this and to that, his hand found hers in a reminiscence of how they once were, she gave him an easy smile and he lifted one corner of his lips in a half smile as answer.

"This is nice," she told him softly, as of not wanting to break the moment. He stopped and placed a hand on his cheek, and moved her hair behind her ear. "It's been a while since the last time we were able to go out like this"

"I know," his missions ended up giving him an odd schedule and even odder free days, "I really hope I can make it up to you someday," she caressed his cheek this time and pecked his lips

"I'm sure you will… once we get back home," she added and he hummed as an answer. He chose to hid his doubts on another kiss

"Oh! Groooss! Daaaad… you are embarrassing us," Charlie's voice brought them back from their private conversation, making him laugh

"It's not so gross when you do it, you'll see someday," Jack pointed out causing Charlie to turn bright red and sent Meredith on a giggle fit which made him take another look at her.

"If you are quite done, Mrs O. I can give you direction to get downtown?" Meredith asked hopefully and they understood her eagerness when her stomach growled.

"Are you hungry, dear?" Sarah asked at the blushing girl who nodded as response. Jack checked his watch

"Its past midday, no wonder you are hungry. Is there anything nice to eat closer?" Meredith shook her head.

"Fish and chips maybe, but they aren't as nice as the one in the pier in downtown San Diego"

"Oh, the one that's halfway over the ocean?" Charlie asked and the girl nodded, "that was a good one."

"You've been there?" she asked and Jack lost the conversation when they got to the car and the noise of the doors took over.

An hour and a half later, completely full with food they decided to walk around to make some space for an ice cream, when his cellphone went off. He frowned grabbing it from his pocket, Sarah huffed when she saw the caller id over his shoulders.

"O'Neill," he answered despite the frustrated glare he received from Sarah.

"Colonel?"

"Yeah Doctor. What's wrong?" he asked, her voice didn't sound okay.

"Ahm, I'm sorry to break your visit short but I really need you to return."

"Okay, I'll drop them on the penthouse and I'll be there."

"Where are you?"

"Downtown la Jolla…" he trailed.

"Come here first, please"

"But my family…"

"My daughter is missing, Colonel. They just found out that in the school."

"Shoot! I'll be there a.s.a.p!" he told her as reassuringly as he could and hang out the phone with a stream of swearing.

"So, she cut your free day short?" Sarah asked bitterly. He chose to ignore the question.

"Kids, we need to go, I have something to do"

"But dad…" Charlie started, but the glare he got from his father stopped him quickly. "Okey,"

"I'll make it up to you, kid. Sometime…" he added with a sad smile. Charlie smiled at him hopefully, and grabbed Jess, and the foursome started to walk back to the car. Without even thinking about it, Jack started the way back to the house.

"Uhm, dad… where are you going? We need to take Meredith back to school," Charlie whispered to Jack's ear leaning closer to him from the back seat.

"We will, kiddo… I just need to make a stop first."

"Mmmkay," he told him and moved back to the end of the seat, "hey, we need take a detour."

"Sure," she told Charlie with a shrug. Jack winked at her reassuringly from the mirror.

"Don't worry, Meredith, the place we are going is nice. Then I'm taking you all back, you can stay with them tonight if you don't want to stay at the school"

"No problem, Colonel, I'll better go back to the school though," the girl said squaring her shoulders. He frowned, no kid of her age should be able to squared it up like that.

He wondered how a parent could leave their kid behind and then a he remembered her charge words:

'W _henever we both are out of town or when she's pissed off at me, she simply chooses to stay as an intern at school, instead of coming to an empty house,'_ and that made sense to him, better to stay at school than alone. And added what Daniel told him, " _if Jess isn't around, either they are both traveling, or she has an important exam, …. Or she's avoiding Sam again,_ " he wondered if traveling parents were a thing in that school.

"Tell me Meredith, are there many students who choose to be interns?" He asked.

"Nope, most of them actually are forced to stay, homeschooling isn't an option when you are talking about the next generation of politicians and such, they all need the reference. And there are a few who found easier to stay in school over travelling around and having to introduce themselves every few months, according to my mom… it's not a nice feeling"

"So she travelled a lot during her youth then?"

"Yes…" she looked around and the neighborhood became more and more familiar, "my grandfather is an Air Force officer, my mom was about to join… but something happened and she didn't," she frowned.

"Okay, we are here…" he said stopping in front of a gate, he pressed his hand on the reader and the doors opened. He saw the wide eyes of the children.

"You work for the Carter's or the Mckay's?" the girl asked and he turned around for a second or two. Before turning back again.

"None, I work for the Air Force, how do you know the house?"

"I've spent a lot of time in here…" she answered with a shrug.

"Their daughter is in our class, dad, that's what Mrs C told me"

"Ok, here we are, you can all come up or walk around. Either way, please don't go too far away," He ran upstairs and was followed by the trio. He was received by Anita, who told him she was there to say her goodbyes when the call came through.

"She's upstairs, in her room," she told him as if he knew where was that.

"My family and a friend of my son are somewhere out there, will you…"

"Yes… go, go," she told him and took off to welcome Sarah to the house. She waved at the kids but let them be.

He ran the two set of stairs, because he didn't felt like being enclosed on such a small space and flew through the two sets of doors without even knocking. The third one stopped him, he looked at the doors, he knew the third one was the lab… but which one was the master room? Was even in that side and not in the other one? He knocked the middle door and a 'come in' was all the answer he needed.

He entered slowly and he was given a heartbreaking sight, the strong woman who had managed to survive two attempts of kidnap was a nervous wreck, her eyes where teary and she looked disheveled. She ran up to him and hugged him tightly, he felt a tear or two wet his shoulders.

"The team in charge of tagging along didn't notice when she disappeared. They started to search for her when the principal noticed she didn't appear for lunch." She told him, on a voice he hadn't heard her before. She walked up to the window, and embraced herself.

"Is this the first time it happens?" He asked cautiously, she shook her head. He could easily see how her walls were quickly pulled up tightly.

"It's not the first time she went out of school, but is only the second time no one knows about it. The previous time, she went to search for me… after the second attempt," she told him turning around to face him. Then she turned her back to him again.

"Have you informed General Hammond?" he asked.

"No…" she sighed. Pressing the bridge of her nose. "Before doing it, I just want to be sure she didn't escape by her… self… who's with Charlie?" she asked observing the kid in the backyard.

"Ah, a classmate. Her parents are … out of town…" he muttered the last part for himself since she had fled the room as soon as his first words were out. He followed her downstairs, and out of the back door.

"Dad! This house is huge! Hey Mrs C!" he said waving at them. The Doctor stopped in her tracks not watching him but the girl beside him, "are you okay Mrs C?"

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes full of tears but a bright smile on her face.

"What's wrong?" Meredith asked and eyebrow raised and then, the colonel saw it, the thing that was nagging at him the whole time.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked worried, touching the girl to see if there was something wrong.

"Yeah… why wouldn't I?" Meredith said taking a step back and embracing herself.

"Who brought you?"

"I'm sorry Mrs C, Meredith told me she was staying at school, so I asked her to join us…"

"You've been the whole time with the O'Neill's?" she asked in disbelief

"Yup…"

"And have you thought about letting someone know?" Sam exploded.

"People who cares know…" Sam closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Inhaling deeply, not quite knowing if she should react out of the relief or the angriness she felt. She turned around and found the eyes of the Colonel.

"Colonel, I'm sorry I had to cut your free day short. You can go back to what you were doing…"

"Ma'am?"

"Jessica, you have 5 minutes to go to your room and stay there until I find you"

"Please, Colonel, go back to your day. Apparently it was all a misunderstood," she told him softly when the girl started to move towards the inside of the house.

"Jessica," she said raising an eyebrow, which was promptly imitated by the kid, who had stopped right next to her. She embraced her daughter, and whispered to her ear, "I'm glad you are okay," she let the worries out with it, then her expression sobered up again, "Now, to your room young lady, I'll be there in a few"


	11. Here's Rodney

Hey there… this was a difficult one. I had several parts written but they wouldn't fit together. So if you do notice where the complicated parts are... I'm sorry... I did try to make them look like one thing. Thank you all for the reviews!

Anyways,

Enjoy.

M

PS: Next chapter comes with the time jump (These were the longest 5 days of my life xD)

 **Chapter 11 – Here's … Rodney**

When Jessica huffed after her last phrase, Sam closed her eyes and covered them with a hand. Seeing the distress in the normally collected woman, he nodded to Charlie for him to go inside. He didn't know quite well what to do, he always was awful with distressed women, but he knew he had to do something, offer some comfort in whatever way. Not quite sure of his next step, he slowly he walked to stand behind her and placed his hand over her shoulder, surprisingly she reached for it with her other hand.

"I'm sorry, Colonel," she whispered, letting her other hand fall to her side. He frowned not knowing very well why she should be sorry for. "I interrupted your family day, because I can't quite connect with mine," she turned her face to look at him over her shoulder and gave him a self-deprecating smile, and his stomach flinched at the sight.

"We all have issues, Doctor. No kid comes with a handbook under their arms. Trust me, I've screwed it up enough times to know"

"In your case it doesn't show, Colonel," she huffed, somehow all she wanted to do was take a step back and lean on the warm body not far away from her. However, she did the opposite, walking a step or two away from him.

"So, that's the infamous Jess?" he asked trying to light the mood a little and failing miserably.

"Yes, Jessica Meredith McKay… at least I had a say on the name." she smiled sadly.

"For what I can tell, she's a lovely kid, Doctor. And I'm pretty sure she loves you, as much as you do," she snorted.

"She is, but she is a handful, always was," she smiled remembering Jess as a baby, "and probably hates me as much as I love her. Sometimes I wonder what did I do so wrong for that to happen… I'm still waiting for an answer, but I guess there's so much lacking on me that I can't really see whatever she sees," she said coming to a stop and plopping herself in one of the many chairs of the garden.

"I used to believe Charlie hated me," he confessed sitting beside her, not looking at her. "I was wrong, he proved me wrong. She will grow out of this phase, don't worry"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Oh, Doctor, that's quite easy. She is half you, therefore the chance is she is at least half smart as you are, she will come around." He stood up, "Specially if she finds out she is proving you wrong"

"So, that's how you did it?"

"Nope… It took work, a lot of work. I had to be comfortable within myself first. You should go and talk to her, let her know how worried you really were"

"Thanks Colonel," she said walking up to him, somehow her hand found its way to his shoulder and his hand found a way to hers. A reassuring hand press later, she was walking back towards the inside of the house, "please, go back to your family, enjoy the rest of the day," she pleaded him from the doorstep, he smiled and he followed her to meet his own family.

She took the stairs slowly, trying to organize her ideas and that way avoiding start a glaring contest with her daughter, she hoped it didn't end like that this time around. But the loud "go away," she got as an answer to her knocking the door told her it would be yet another difficult conversation. She entered anyway.

"Jess, we need to talk," she told her softly. She was laying in her bed, and covered her head while turning around, trying hard to ignore her mother. Sam sighed, and moved to the other side of the bed and tugged at the cover until she managed to pull it out enough to see her daughter's eyes. "I love you, Jess, I really do"

The girl tried to turn around and avoid the blue eyes that were telling her how true the words were with no avail. Sam's weight distributed between where she was sitting and the other side of Jess made the turn impossible for the girl.

"Let me go," she grumbled.

"Nope, no until you understand, Jess. I love you, you are the most precious thing I have, I'm only worried about your safety. There's mean people out there and you might be lucky to have known only the best of live, but there's a wrong side too. I just don't want you to meet it face first… I promise you, I worry because I love you, and if something ever happens to you, I won't know what to do," Sam finished, she couldn't stop a couple of tears from falling out even when she tried hard to. Jess clenched her jaw to keep her tears at bay, but only managed to turn her face away.

"It doesn't matter how angry you are at me or how much you want not to be over protected, you can't go running away without letting someone know."

"You just don't want me to have a life," Jess hissed angrily.

"That's exactly what I want for you, Jess. I want you to have the life I did not have. I want you to enjoy your life, I want you to have stability, that's the main reason why I agreed with your father over the boarding school and no, I don't find anything wrong on you wanting to have a life, go out there exploring or shopping, or even go on family days with someone else's family… I can't stop you, but please, just let someone ... anyone know"

"Because it will be a nuisance for you if I go missing? Hmm? Because it will be a headline? The daughter of Doctors Carter and Mckay goes missing"

"No, darling. It won't be a nuisance and I could care less about the headline... but it will be the end of my life." She answered with a sad smile.

"And what would you do about it, huh? Sit here and work?" She glared at her mother.

"No, Jess… I was about to call the Police and the Air Force."

"What does the Air Force has to do with this?" Jess asked frowning, Sam sighed.

"You want the truth, don't you?" she nodded, "I thought so. You know what we do, right?"

"Yup, tech for anyone who can pay for it," she added, "that's what dad told me"

"There's some truth on that. We move a lot of money and a lot of tech. We also have to pay for a lot of people. Are you sure you want to know the truth? It isn't nice and you are only twelve, you are too young to deal with something like this," She smiled grimly.

"Mom… I want to know; I will deal with it." She added confidently, and Sam couldn't help but see herself reflected on her daughter. She knew her daughter was strong to handle the truth, but she also wasn't sure she wanted to interrupt her childhood in such a way. Alas, she also knew Jess and if she didn't take the chance, it would end up biting her ass.

"Our work puts you on a difficult position even if it doesn't show and you need to understand that." She sighed, "what we do, what we know… has a great deal of secrecy. Such secrets can be dangerous"

"Are you in trouble? Is that why Colonel O'Neill is here?" Jess asked pushing her body up and supporting her weight on her forearm.

"That's another issue altogether, honey," she said caressing her daughter's face. "Also, you don't need to worry about me, I'm supposed to worry about you!" she smiled, "Anyway, as I told you, you are the most valuable thing I have, and if someone wants to hurt me, they only have to get to you…"

"And if I keep escaping then you won't know if I escaped by myself or I someone took me?" she asked worried, Sam sighed.

"Yes"

"Okay…" she huffed, "I think I can inform people when I go out." She conceded.

"Good, it is all I'm asking from you." She kissed her forehead, and then, she walked away towards the door. "Also, you are grounded. This scare you gave me needs some punishment."

"But mom…" she whined.

"But mom nothing, I'm going to block you out of the internet," the Doctor added sternly.

"Oh come on! What will I do then?" She complained sitting quickly on her bed.

"I don't know… you will find something I guess." She shrugged with a smile.

"Mom?" she called, then she added something Sam wasn't expecting to hear, "I'm sorry…"

"Thanks, but don't worry… it's all good, provided you don't do it again," she winked at her.

"No, mom. You don't understand…" Sam frowned, not knowing what she was talking about, Jess lip her lower lip making her mother worry some more. "I called dad, he will be here tomorrow," she added worriedly, Sam closed her eyes and huffed at that.

"He's your father, darling. You have the right to call him whenever you want to. Now, be good, I'll be… you know where I will be… I'll see you at dinner?" Jess nodded.

"Mom, can the O'Neill stay for dinner?" she pleaded.

"Sure, if they didn't go already," she winked at her and waved her goodbye. She closed the door, and leaned against it, and sighed. She still wondered sometimes how on Earth did she end up in this kind of situations.

"Is the life you picked, Samantha," she whispered to herself, then she squared her shoulders and set up to find if the O'Neill were still around. If they were she was going to point Charlie towards Jess room, "maybe the boy will be good for her," she thought out loud.

Dinner was a different affair, the kids might know each other for less time than the Doctor and the Colonel, but they got along so well that it was really fun to watch, they both were fans of the same games and same shows, and when a couple jokes from the Simpson where out, Sarah almost chewed someone's head off. Her less than happy comment about how dumb was to watch them and how boring they were, was received with rolled eyes and educated silences. However, any references to them any of the other four members of the table got, was quickly shut and kept inside. Conversation changed as quickly as started. After the hearty dinner everyone excused themselves and the Colonel told them he was going to take the family home, with Jess pleading eyes out in the game, Sam agreed they should stay for the night and the not so discreet 'we should just stay here,' made her pretend she didn't hear. The tension of the day pushed her for a nightly round of swimming.

The next morning started bright as usual, Doctor and Colonel went for their run. An hour and a half later, she was entering the dining room with a bright smile. Her morning so far was good, the day looked fantastic and her daughter was safe and sound in her own bedroom, the running was nice and breakfast looked delicious as usual. When the Colonel didn't join her sooner, she thought it was odd. But then she met the couple when she was going for the elevator almost an hour later. She smiled politely and turned when the front doors opened widely.

"Honey… I'm home!" Rodney said loudly from the entrance, and arrogant smile plastered in his face.

"Rodney, Jess told me she called you… everything's under control," Sam added in a clipped tone, trying hard not to alert the O'Neill of her current discomfort. But walked to him nonetheless and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek.

The Colonel observed the guy with interest. With her high heels on, she was taller than him, which he found disturbing, he always liked women shorter than him (which wasn't as difficult for him to do). The way the little guy clung to the Doctor's waist told him he was rather possessive of her, which he could relate to, he had eyes too and he did found the Doctor to be a very beautiful woman.

"Hi, I'm Sarah O'Neill," Sarah introduced herself watching the exchange, and smiled happily when she noticed the husband looked to be as possessive as she was jealous, and they could be quite the team to be keep their loved ones at bay. Oh, she had eyes, she had seen the way they laughed at each other jokes and of course, she also noticed how Doctor Carter kept Jack in her home while they were sent as far away as possible. Rodney raised an eyebrow curiously but eyed at the older woman, 'good looking,' he thought and smiled back at her.

"How do you do, ma'am? Lovely to meet you," he greeted, going straight for a kiss in her hand. Sarah blushed under the attention while Sam rolled her eyes at Rodney's antics.

"Oh, this is my husband … Jack." She added when Rodney's eyes found hers.

Rodney turned around and saw the man in his lobby and tried not to growl or swear, he did felt the tension building out in his shoulders. The Colonel looked all the intimidating he always had imagined he looked like.

"I'll take you are the new babysitter? I mean, bodyguard?" Rodney asked with an air of arrogance, raising immediately within Jack the need to punch the man in the nose.

"I'm Colonel O'Neill, if that's what you are asking," he added, not moved by his attitude.

"Humm, not very bright," he muttered loud enough to be heard, "So you are THE Colonel O'Neill? I heard a lot about you… mostly how you attract so many problems"

"I haven't heard anything about you…" he trailed

"I'm…" Rodney started

"being impolite," Sam almost growled, "Colonel O'Neill, meet Doctor Rodney Mckay… my husband"

"I would say is a pleasure to meet you Colonel, but I would be lying. Now, if you excuse me," he told them looking mostly at Sarah, "I came to check my daughter" with that he strode to the elevator.

"Please, breakfast is waiting for you…" Sam told them, before turning around and using the stairs to go up.

The rest of the morning was … interesting. The O'Neill's were invited to spend the lunch with them and it was easy to see that Jess had her father eating out of her hand while at the same time, she tried to not disappoint him. That was noticed by the glum face she did when she told her dad she had achieved 98/100 on her latest advanced calculus test and he hummed not surprised and added a, "only 98?"

While her mother told her she was very proud of her and that "98 was an excellent mark," glaring at her husband when he was about to comment anything else. Jack hated the guy, he didn't know why he despised the little man so much but his stomach clenched every time the Doctor opened his mouth, added with the not so subtle glances he was giving at Sarah. By the end of lunch, he knew he would end half indigested if he kept sharing the table with the man and excused himself.

Sam found him an hour or so later, and told him a driver was on his way to take her to the office and that they should use that chance to also take his family home.

"I don't get it? Why should we stay there when there's enough space in here?" Sarah asked angrily before jumping into the SUV where Sam already waited for them.

"Ah! I thought you would like some privacy, to have family moments of your own," she smiled

"And how are we going to have any family moments if my husband is stuck here all the time?"

"Sarah!"

"Don't worry, just like yesterday. I do take some days to stay and work from home, whenever I do so, your husband is free to get to you"

"Cool! Thanks Mrs C. You rock," was Charlie answer, which made Sarah stay quiet for the rest of the way. Thankfully she didn't notice the lips of the Doctor curling up at the comment.

It was late at night when they returned at the house, Rodney and Jess were already starting with dinner when they joined them. There was no conversation just a somewhat comfortable silence. Jess excused herself as soon as she finished leaving the adults alone.

"Sam, we need to talk," Rodney affirmed, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Then talk…"

"Later, when there are no eavesdropping hears," he added chewing loudly, Sam inhaled deeply and Jack ignored the man the best he could. Jack noticed McKay had already finished his dinner while he and Doctor Carter where halfway through. As soon as he finished, he set the cutlery down loudly and stood up, raising an eyebrow when his wife didn't follow.

"Shall we then?" he asked, and with a sigh she followed him.

Jack didn't know if he should be grateful for being let alone to finish his dinner or worried over the behavior of McKay, he decided he would try to find out some more later on after finishing his dinner. Even if he told his mind that was what he would do, he couldn't stay put and walked out of the dining room with enough time to hear the door on the back opening, and see it getting closed when he moved towards it. He followed the stealthy movements in front of him in the same fashion, and soon he had an idea of who and why someone would escape to the outside in such manner

 _"So, they gave you Colonel O'Neill and you accepted?"_

 _"Yes!"_

Jack could hear the loud screaming contest which apparently had started to get louder, then he spotted the shadow he was following and it was moving closer to the walls of the house.

 _"Why on God's earth would you do that! You've read his file!"_

 _"I won't even start to answer that one!"_

He could now see the shadows of the two adults somewhere in the first floor, as he reached a part of the house he hadn't been at before, although he had passed in front of it. Behind some plants there was a little sitting area. It looked like a place where you would create a campfire with a circle seat around a fire pit, all surrounded with the same vegetation that covered him from seeing it in the morning.

 _"Argh, why do you have to be so darn stubborn!"_

 _"Why do you have to be such an ass!"_

 _"Let's not make this about me!"_

He noticed then they were almost under the window where the discussion was currently being held, the place was a couple meters below it, and he probably was out of sight from anyone in there. He tuned out the discussion when he saw who he was following. Sitting right under the window, the kid was curled up in a tight sitting ball with her head resting in her knees.

 _"It's always about you!"_

 _"Me? You are the one incapable of taking care of her daughter!"_ 'Ouch that was a low one,' he thought and he heard the girl whimpering over the same comment, that prompted him to start a conversation with her to try and make her go inside.

"Hey… you shouldn't be here," he whispered hoping not to scare her or made themselves known. He was pretty sure the Doctor, the female one, would be very embarrassed if she knew her daughter was sitting right there and listening to them.

"I know…" she whispered back sadly, he saw her considering something, "I called him, because I knew this would happen," she confessed to him biting her lower lip, on a gesture that was so her mother that make him wonder how he had spent almost a whole day with the girl oblivious to her parentage.

"You knew?" he wondered, "You mean… are they always like this?" Once again Jess observed him before nodding a yes. She opened her mouth to continue but stopped herself. "Come on, you don't really need to hear the rest of this," he said, and pulled her to her feet. "Let's go for a walk" he smiled.

"Charlie told me you were an awesome dad," she said when they left the noise behind and started to walk around the house.

"Well, thank you… It means a lot to me," he smiled crookedly and she raised an eyebrow questioning, "he wouldn't say that a while ago, I guess every parent go through a phase where the kid hates you more than you thought a small kid could," he shrugged dismissively and she did a noncommittal sound.

"That's why dad doesn't spend that much time here." She offered after a while.

"The discussion, you mean?" she nodded, "Let me tell you something… every single marriage I know has a screaming contest once in awhile," she looked at him again, he could see the way her mind worked, but she didn't say anything else.

"Don't tell them I know. They still believe I'm sleeping or not listening when they have this kind of conversations. Or that I don't know they can barely stand each other," she confessed on a plea, once they were getting to the back of the house again.

"Hum, I thought they were one of those power couples," he told her and she snorted.

"Yeah, that they are ... the nerd duo, the tech genius. Press loves them, but they can only be civil to each other when they are in the right mood, they do manage to keep the press believing they are one of the most loving couples out there."

"They probably do…" Jack tried to convince her, but she only gave him a smile.

"Mom is really good at hiding her feelings, and dad is good at make anyone believe he's a loving husband and she a cold but beautiful nerd", she dismissed… "This fight is my fault"

"No... it's not, is adults being adults"

"You don't understand. What I did… and the way I told dad I did it… well, I knew it would end up like this…" she told him

"Then why do it?" he asked stopping. The screams were almost at their reach again, but they were still away enough to make them unintelligible.

"You are kidding right?" she chuckled at the naivety of the Colonel

"Nope, enlighten me," he looked at him in the eyes, trying to see if the old man was lying at her, soon she decided he wasn't.

"How else can I make them notice me? As I told you, my dad doesn't come around much, and my mom, you'll see her, she's inside her lab all the time… unless…" she trailed.

"Unless you do something to call attention back at you…" Jack affirmed and she nodded. "You know there are other ways, don't you?"

"What? Should I dye my hair fully on purple or try to develop some sort of super advanced technology? You heard my dad, even my almost perfect test result isn't enough… Maybe, I should get pregnant… but I've still haven't got my …"

"Ack! That's way too much information right there… no, kiddo, you don't need any of that to call her attention, have you tried the easy way?" he asked, looking at the girl who for the first time looked lost.

"There's no easy way…" she affirmed forthright and at that precise moment they both heard the door being violently closed, "what's the easy way?" she asked nervously now. Worried about what her need to get some attention might have caused.

"Have you tried asking?" he told her quietly, but judging by the expression of her face... that was something it hadn't occur to her. He pressed her shoulder with a hand and they saw a tall shadow getting out of the house and towards the opposite side from where they were. Jess gasped.

"That's my mom," she whispered with fear, if it was for her being outside at such hour, or for whatever her mom was feeling, he didn't know for sure.

"Go inside, sleep. Tomorrow is a school day."

"Will you talk with her?" she asked hopefully, "you are a good man, just make sure she is okay… please?"

"Go to bed… I'll talk with her," with that she hugged him and he was surprised for that action. But embraced her too.

After seeing Jess entering the house, he wondered where her mother could have gone to, and started to walk towards the side he saw her going. He stopped walking when he remembered having passed in front of a gazebo which was high enough that looked over the sea on one of their runs. She told him it was one of the reasons she ended up buying the house. He walked there and saw her standing looking out to the ocean, leaning over the balustrade, her shoulders slumped and her hair covering her face. He cleared his throat to make her aware of his presence and he felt a sharp pain when he saw her squaring her shoulders and tensing her jaw, he also noticed how the arm further away from him moved somewhere up. Then, she turned around and gasped.

"Colonel O'Neill, what are you doing here?"

"I…" Jess words stopped him of telling her the truth, "Was walking outside when I heard the screaming contest, Doctor." She grimaced, "I didn't hear everything but … I did hear the door being slammed and you walking out of the house…" he offered. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Colonel. My husband and I often disagree on how much do I suck at being a mother. Sometimes we do agree… that's rare and today is not one of those times"

"So I heard," he told her, she flinched. Rodney was particularly mean this time. But he wasn't actually referring to the discussion but to his conversation with Jess. "As I told you, I didn't listen to the whole thing, I thought I was a private matter. And yet, let me assure you, you can't possibly be a bad mother," she chuckled at this.

"I am. Don't you remember? I told you she hated me…" A tear managed to get loose on her face, unconsciously he cleaned it with the pad of his thumb.

"She doesn't… she probably misses you, but she doesn't hate you," he told her softly, his hand still on her face.

"Misses me?" she questioned, stopping the hand in her face from moving away.

"Yes." He affirmed

"Explain?" she asked a confused frown on her face, he curled a side of his lips on a crooked and amazed half smile.

"You really have no idea, have you? Your daughter loves you, she admires you…" he placed a finger over her lips when she was about to start talking, managing with that single act to make her shiver, "you are cold, let's walk back," he told her softly and she nodded, not willing to tell him that everything pointed at him as the cause of her shiver, "when she was out with us, she couldn't stop telling us stories of what you did and how you did it, we learned you used to visit la Jolla Cove and what you would do. She told us she misses surfing and when Charlie asked her amazed is she really knew how to do it, she told us she learned with you…but you never had time anymore to go out."

"Which is only more proof that I am a bad mom," she gave him a sad self-deprecating smile. They were almost at the back door by then and she was about to enter.

"You might have lost your way as a mother, Samantha," he told her, and she stopped dead on her tracks, "but you aren't a bad mom." She turned around her eyes full of tears, "You still got time to fix it," he whispered and she bit her lower lip. "you still have time to be the mother who raised that lovely child with wonderful memories of a past she wants to relive"

"Thank you… Jack…" with that she turned away and he wondered what the hell he was doing and why he felt the desperate need to make her feel better.


	12. A birthday and a revelation

Hi there! We are mooooooving! Can you believe it? Thanks for the reviews as usual! And …

Enjoy!

M.

PS: See I can do short intro's too xD

 **Chapter 12 – A birthday and A revelation**

Morning routines were overrated, Jess thought as she dragged herself, tousled hair and pajamas to the dining room. Her mom and the Colonel were already bright and alert, and apparently halfway through breakfast already.

"Ugh! Morning…" she mumbled on a tone which left the two occupants of the room to wonder if she was complaining or greeting them. The Doctor shook her head snorting and smiling at the view.

"Morning sweetheart," she told the girl softly and it only got a hum as an answer which made her giggle. 'Not a morning person,' she mouthed to the Colonel who looked bewildered, his mouth formed a perfect o and his expression became one of understanding. He also added the late night he knew the kid had and her current crumbling status made all the sense in the world. "Jess don't stare at your cereal, better eat it up before it becomes too mushy… you have to get ready and your cereal isn't responsible of the existence of school," she commented jokingly when Jess almost stabbed the mix with her spoon.

"Ugh, school," she grumbled, with barely opened eyes she tried to bring a spoonful of cereal which ended up with part of the contents on the table. Her zombie like way made both adults giggle. "Don't laugh you morning people you," she squinted seriously.

"Good thing I called to let them know you will be arriving late," her mother pointed before she bit a fruit.

"Really?" Jess inquired suddenly wide awake, she watched at her mom surprised then frowned. "When did you call? It's barely 7ish"

"After my run…" The Doctor shrugged, "Are you protesting? I can call them back to let them know you will be on time."

"No, nope… there's no need… I was just going to point out that morning people are good for... morning things" she covered seriously making the adults laugh.

Later, when she was almost wide awake and completely full, her dad made a miraculous appearance. Grumbling a 'morning' he sat at the far extreme of the table. Jess observed the weird sight and savored it remembering how it was to have what others called a regular family breakfast.

"You know…" Rodney started once he had downed a cup full of coffee and was nursing the second one. "I was thinking … how do you feel if we throw you a party for your birthday?" he asked and his family frowned.

"A party?" Jess asked, her birthday was nearing, but her dad had never asked her if she wanted a party before.

"Yes. You can invite anyone who's someone and we will invite people who gives nice presents," he grinned

"Her birthday is in 4 weeks," Sam told him a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"So what? That's plenty of time to organize a decent get together, won't you agree?" He told her daring her to contradict his words, pushing her to tell no to her daughter.

"Seriously? I can invite anyone?" Jess asked excited and Rodney nodded. She chose not to see the obvious discomfort on her mother, because a party sounded extremely good.

"Yes," Sam answered with a clipped tone and looked at the Colonel to see him also frowning. "But for now, go and get ready… you have 20 minutes!" Jess nodded eagerly and ran out of the room. Sam waited for her to be out of the hearing range before turning around to glare at Rodney, "Are you out of your mind, Rodney? A party? When you know how much of a security risk that is?"

"Well, yes… the Colonel has 4 weeks to fix any security issue," he grinned arrogantly, "Or of course, you can always tell your daughter she will have no party"

"If you excuse me, I have to get ready to go," she spat at her husband. "Colonel"

"A party under current conditions is quite the risk, Doctor. Are you sure you want to expose your family like that?" she heard the Colonel asking to Rodney and stopped.

"Security in this property is extremely high, I'm not exposing them to anything out of the ordinary. Your Air Force on the contrary… should be a little more worried"

She heard a chair being pushed back and walked away as fast as she could, she didn't need to see whose chair was since she knew who would be. Not soon enough for their heads, they dropped Jess at school. She chatted all the way about what she wanted for her party… and it was a lot of information. When she finally got down in front of the school building, the adults sighed, and none of them said an extra word after that.

When they got to Sam's office, she noticed the Colonel was awfully distracted, more absent than he normally was, he didn't even noticed being watched, and that was the what led her to ask about his wellbeing.

"Is something wrong, Colonel?"

"Excuse me?"

"Is there something wrong?" She inquired again, "You look quite pensive. I don't think it has something to do with all the things Jess was blurting out in the morning. I would have preferred something intimate and less a security risk, in which I'm pretty sure you would agree," she pointed with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, you are right. I would go for something less open, but it's your choice. We will have to inform General Hammond of it, and see how is considered in regards to your security."

"Okay, we established that… Therefore, what is troubling you is private and you can't share it"

"What? Oh! No… it's just… I remembered Charlie's birthday is next week."

"And you are stuck with me… I see. Well, if you want we can go shopping…" he grimaced, remembering their last experience, "or you can… maybe you can celebrate it? Either at the condo or at the house. School is the only no, they don't tolerate such things... 'spoils the children' they say,"

"No, Doctor… I don't want to create any more issues for you or your schedule"

"Nonsense. I'm making that with yours. When is it?"

"Next Saturday..."

"Perfect! We need to be at Cheyenne that morning, you and your wife can organize a party at your house, I will be safe inside Cheyenne, and Charlie gets to spend time with his friends,"

"Really?"

"Yeah… why not? Talk with your family, and let me know"

 **A week later**

The plane touched ground at Andrews carrying five members of two families. Three of them jumped in one car, while two took a Humvee. Despite the initial excitement, both Jess and Charlie slept all the way from San Diego to Andrews, while Sarah nodded on and off. The Doctor was concentrated in work and the Colonel used the time to catch up in the report he was supposed to be presenting about the situation, even though there wasn't much to inform. From where he was standing nothing had happened since the last attempt when they caught the Jaffa. Nothing else was informed to them either. He hoped the Jaffa spilled out his beans but he doubted he had. At least if they kept offering nothing valuable in exchange.

The team in charge of the investigation was already there, he tried hard not to beat one of them when they learned not further discovery was made, as he saw the Doctor huffed in disapproval. The team only blushed at their incompetence, but loudly rejected the situation when she informed them of the imminent security issue of her daughter's birthday party. Once the meeting was finished, they both, along with Daniel and Teal'c travelled to Jack's house.

Cassie barreled through the house and into the arms of Samantha Carter the moment she spotted the Doctor. "Sam!" she screamed in joy. "Mom and I are planning on visiting you during my vacations, isn't that awesome?" she proceeded to let her know, Janet widened eyes and blushing cheeks complimented the picture, making Sam giggle.

"No problem on my part, Cass, how are you? How is school?" She asked hugging the kid from the side as Cassie dragged her towards the backyard.

"Great! It's awesome, I'm doing okay… I have friends and all," Cassie grinned, and the pair got too far away from the adults hearing range.

"So, they get along quite well?" Jack questioned and Sarah happened to pass by.

"Who?" She asked confused.

"Ah, my daughter and Sam," Janet answered and noticing the raised eyebrow on her friend's wife she added a clarifying, "Doctor Carter," pointing to the place where the two were happily chatting undisturbed by the mess or the loud noises of the backyard. Sam's own daughter joined them at some point.

"Hmm… they know each other for long?" Sarah inquired intrigued, it took a good while for her to meet Cassie. Janet bit her lip not knowing quite well how to approach the subject but was relieved when Daniel cleared his throat.

"Well, when Cassie got here, she didn't have a lot of knowledge on the workings of our … country… and the school program was too different which would have set her in a grade not according to her age…"

"Okay…and? What she has to do with it?"

"Sam…hmm… Doctor Carter, has a degree in psychology, don't ask…" Daniel added pressing the bridge of his nose, as if the memories brought by that were bad, "and she also was a teacher at some point in her extensive career…she offered," he shrugged.

"I'm not following you Daniel," Jack commented.

"Well, until she was deemed to go to the right grade, Cassie was flown to wherever Sam was, and she would teach her all the things she needed to get on the right class. First, it happened every time I was on an extended duty," Janet explained, "If I started a shift on Monday and I was supposed to be there Tuesday too, then she would fly on Sunday and be brought back Wednesday and stay with me. Sometimes Sam would come for a couple days, Jess joined sometimes"

"Cass was lucky summer vacations where two months after she touched our ground, and spent her summer vacation learning with Jess and Sam's help. The three of them bonded brilliantly"

"Then why didn't she adopted her?" Sarah questioned annoyed.

"Her husband didn't agree. He called Cassie a charity chase, telling you that Cassie doesn't like Doctor McKay would be an understatement."

"Is there anything she isn't good at?" Sarah mumbled to herself making Daniel chuckle.

"Indeed. She's an awful painter, you had to see the walls of the house we used to share. Disastrous," It was then where she decided to join back the adult's crowd, the moment she came closer to the group, however, the previously chatty gang felt silent.

"You know, it doesn't take a higher IQ to know you were talking about me," she smiled making Daniel and Janet blush, Jack look at the floor and Teal'c raised an eyebrow, and Sarah, looked at her smirking. "I do hope nothing bad"

"Oh, is there anything bad we need to know?" Sarah asked innocently. Sam, however, didn't flinch at her comment, she gave her a dark smile.

"Oh, don't be surprised, Mrs. O'Neill, there's plenty of the bad. Not even one in your need to know," she answered with the same mocking innocent tone, making Daniel cough. Jack leveled him with a look, if someone knew the Doctor, it was Daniel and he would ask some questions, but the way he reacted told him that the Archeologist wasn't in position to disclose any of the not mentioned events. He frowned and Daniel cleared his throat.

"Actually, Sarah asked how did you meet Cassie and then somehow, got me confessing that you are awful at painting," Sam raised an eyebrow blushing.

"The house near Yale, right?" Daniel nodded eagerly, "Yeah… it was all your fault, Danny, it was your idea to paint it…" she accused him and he shrugged, "he chose a 'tea with milk' tone whatever that color is, and left me to paint it. Let's say one of the walls was more milk than tea… and the other one was more tea than milk," she told them laughing, thankfully laugh was always contagious and soon all the adults were laughing and the subject changed. The parents exchanged a few embarrassing stories about their children, and at some point Sam was laughing so hard that they were trying to understand what was so funny, she looked at Daniel and told him, "the pull ups" and Daniel started to laugh too. They all exchanged a glance while the duo tried to sober up.

"Well, I have to share this one," Daniel announced cleaning the happy tears from his face. "Back in '89, Sam and I met for vacations, I can't even remember what Rodney was doing that year. Anyway, here we are in the beach with Jess… she was two or three"

"One and a half," Sam corrected.

"Right, and here we are laying on the beach with the girl, by that time Jess was already potty trained. Have no idea how but she was… anyway, there was a man staying at the same hotel and he had a girl too, but she wasn't potty trained yet… and the man sees us with a baby and ask to take care of his girl while he went to I don't even know where… he left us his bag of diapers and all."

"He left you with his baby? He trusted a couple of strangers to take care of his baby out of the blue?"

"Well, we had met him a couple of times at the beach and the kids played together before… we weren't complete strangers per se."

"Anyway, I wouldn't do it"

"And then we felt a smell, and we looked around until we deduced it was the kid." Daniel continued choosing to ignore the comment, "And before he left he told us there were 'pull ups in the bag', so we are both looking at the baby girl who is gurgling at us, and we turned the girl around a couple times and we couldn't find the darn straps!" They both laughed.

"So, we agreed, if it was a pull up, it should be pulled down…." Sam added between laughs.

"And when we did! the poop fell to the side! Landed right there on the sand!" They couldn't keep the straight face anymore, and between a shared 'I still remember your face!' and then the image of how that could look, the crowd once again started to laugh. Until Charlie came and looked at them as if they were all one marble too short in the brain department.

"Dad? Mom? Can we open the presents yet?" He asked and they nodded trying to sober up.

"Colonel? Mrs. O'Neill?" Sam stopped them when Charlie disappeared to call his friends, "I hope you don't mind the present Jess brought," she winced, "It might look a little expensive but it was the only thing she wanted to buy him" she apologized in advance. Sarah looked at her with assessing her, before turning around not saying anything. Jack nodded once with a half-smile, "Colonel?" She whispered stopping him, "really, I don't want to intrude in the way you raise him, please don't think that, just believe me... that's not my gift." she pleaded and he nodded again.

When a whoa and silence was all that came from the living room, she knew the gift was opened. The dubious smile in Jess face made the female O'Neill soften up a little. It was clear it was something the girl wanted to give to her son and it wasn't the mother trying to impress her little boy as she was easily doing with the older O'Neill.

"Jess? For sure?" Charlie questioned looking at his friend, the girl beamed at him and nodded eagerly.

"Yup, you told me you wanted one… and you need one for school," she shrugged and his friends oohed and aahed at the laptop the boy had in his hands.

"You do know when my birthday is, don't you?" Daniel whispered in her ear and she punched him in the shoulder.

"It wasn't my idea," she told him as he rubbed his arm, "Jess wanted to give him one because he was falling behind in school."

"Yeah… and Jess has that kind of money…" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Don't be silly, Daniel. I have it and I tried to convince her to get something else, but you know her," she pointed at her daughter with her head.

"Yup, she's like her mother in the stubborn department." He grinned at his friend

"I did apologize to the O'Neill's; I hope they don't be offended by it," Sam grimaced worried.

"I'll hope with you," he added patting her shoulder, "I can ask when he takes us back to Cheyenne, before you all go and I can let you know tomorrow," The archeologist offered.

"Actually, I'm staying at Cheyenne's today. That's my gift: a family night," they exchanged a smile full of sentiment, they both knew how much family nights could mean for someone, by being been exposed to lack of them earlier in their lives.

"That's a very thoughtful gift, Sam, but what about Jess?"

"When she talks to me…" she trailed and Daniel nodded, knowing perfectly the complicated relationship between mother and daughter, "she often asks when she can come and stay with Cass for a pajama party. Janet agreed"

"But why don't stay at your house then?"

"That's easy, if I stay home, I will need a babysitter. I could stay at your place, but I don't think the airheads would agree as you being a good Air Force officer… and I'm pretty sure your second room is filled up with crates and dust, that's why I didn't ask you," he blushed. "So, VIP Quarters are good, and I even brought a backpack which should be there already."

"Well, that probably will make them less mad at your expensive gift," he winked at her.

"It wasn't my gift!" she whispered annoyed but he wasn't there anymore.

Two hours later, the adults were sitting on the living room; while Cassie, Jess and Charlie were loudly enjoying of his collection of video games. Daniel cleared his throat and looked at Sam trying to make her talk, she rolled her eyes while the rest of them looked the exchange curiously.

"What's going on?" Jack asked frowning.

"Well…. I…"

"Oh man! Look at the hour! Shouldn't we be heading for Andrews?" Jack asked apologetically.

"That's exactly it, Colonel. I didn't know what to get to your son, and I didn't get him anything… of material value. When you confirmed you agreed with this plan, I considered what to get him, what on Earth he would possibly need that he didn't had at the moment? Apart from what Jess chose as his gift." She chuckled, "when we got hers, I decided to try and get him something he asked me and thanked me for before. So, my gift to your son is a family night." She saw the Colonel starting to speak, "Janet is going to take Jess to her home. Daniel, Teal'c and I are going back to Cheyenne in the car which is waiting for us outside." She smiled and stood up. "Shall we go, gentlemen?"

All the others copied her movement, except the O'Neill's who were still trying to fully understand the meaning of her words, Janet scream for Cassie and Jess to hurry up, and Charlie happily coming down added to his beaming expression when Sam told him he was staying home with his family today, was all they needed to make the day as perfect as their son deserved.

Outside, they witnessed the warm embrace exchanged between mother and daughter before the girl entered Janet's car and disappeared into the streets. As Sarah and Charlie went inside Jack stood behind to say his goodbyes to Daniel and Teal'c. When he saw her walking to the parked car, he strode to her and stopped her by the arm. She turned around with a bright and somewhat hopeful smile.

"Thank you, Samantha… thank you for this lovely gift," he whispered warmly making her tremble under his gaze. She nodded completely taken aback with his words, then he winked at her and pressed a light kiss on her cheek before disappearing inside his house, leaving her to figure out how to stop her hand to touch the spot where his lips had so softly burned her.

The next morning, the Colonel moved stealthily to disentangle himself from the grasp of his wife, and quietly got ready for his run. He went down, after checking Charlie was still asleep. Then he stretched a little by the entrance, until the realization that the Doctor wouldn't join him hit and made him start his run pushing himself harder to try and erase the feeling of missing her running by his side.

Before long, he got home and completed his morning ritual attempting not to wake anyone up. A shower later, he emerged from the bathroom, clad in dark jeans and a t-shirt to find Sarah seating sleepily in their shared bed, her tousled hair making her look cute and younger and 'not at all like Samantha', his mind provided him and he had to smile to keep himself from pressing his jaw nervously at such unwelcomed thought.

"Morning," her voice was still ridden with sleep and he only nodded, "something wrong?" she asked rubbing her eyes with a hand.

"Nope, nothing… morning," he told her and kissed her softly before feeling guilty, "I…I'm going to make breakfast, then call the base to see when are we expected," he added before almost running out of their room. "Why the hell do you feel guilty for kissing your own wife, O'Neill? Huh? Are you insane?" he talked to himself in the silence of the kitchen, although he wasn't ready for the answers he knew would find him sooner or later.

On the other side of the city, twenty something floors under the mountain, Samantha Carter pulled her friend for a much needed coffee after the night they had. When they arrived at the SGC, they shared the elevator with two the scientist of the research team, whom had convinced her to join them on the lab; which wasn't such a complicated feat. Seeing this, Daniel went to his lab, and somewhere around 1:30Am he noticed how late it had become and out of a hunch went to the research lab to find her there, talking with the scientist and nursing what it looked like a cold cup of coffee. He cleared his throat and excused them both. Now, at barely 7AM, the coffee was warm and Daniel was pretty sure he would need more than a few to finally be awake.

"How come you are so awakened?" he grumbled at her. "You don't even have eye bags!" She giggled at her friend who tried to take down in one gulp his huge coffee cup and failed miserably when he took the first sip and burned his tongue. "HOT!" he coughed

"I was under the impression that fumes coming out of a liquid were a good sign of how hot it is…" he glared at her, "alas you are the archeologist not the scientist. It's 7 AM Danny, why wouldn't I?"

"Because I remember vividly getting you out of the lab at around 2, which would mean you got some 5 hours of shuteye"

"Shuteye? I'm impressed," she grinned and he rolled his eyes, "Well, I woke up at 5 as usual, my … shuteye… was of a good two and half hours, give it or take. But I had plenty of opportunities to wake up," she said conspiratorially

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went to the gym and was about to reach mile 5 when Teal'c came in. He offered to practice some movements with me, and I agreed"

"Ouch," he grimaced remembering the times he tried to spar with the alien.

"It was very enlightening, it also added some movements to my knowledge." Teal'c joined them not that much later, and she thanked him again for the sparring. He complimented her skills managing to make her blush, before he dug into the pile of food he had in his tray. Sam looked amazed how the mountain of food quickly became just the tray. The Doctor's duo soon departed when the internal com's asked for Doctor Carter at Doctor Jackson's lab. When they got there, they found it empty which was kind of surprising, then after exchanging confused glances, his phone went out.

"Daniel Jackson?" he answered, "Uh, okay" he told to the receiver and then he extended the phone towards her, "It's for you… is Jack"

"Good morning Colonel?" Daniel stood back to give her a chance to talk and listened to the one-way conversation, "Going? Oh yes, we are expected at noon. Jess will kill me if I ask her to wake up early on a Saturday just to fly home," she smiled tenderly at the phone, then with a quick goodbye she hung.

"Sam," Daniel called on a worried tone.

"Yes?"

"He's married. You are married," he warned and she frowned.

"What are you talking about Daniel?"

"I know you aren't a family breaker, but I know you well enough and you like him. Just, try not to do something you might regret later?" he asked softly, and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You don't want me to jeopardize his marriage because I like him?" He nodded once. "You can rest assured Daniel, The Colonel seems like an honest person and I can see why you call him your best friend. And even if I liked him in any other way, he would have to like me in that way and we each should have to decide what to do with all the things at stake, which won't happen. At most we will be friends." She affirmed with certainty and squinted at him, "but whatever this was, it didn't come from the call or from yesterday… what do you know?"

"I… it's classified, Sam"

"And I have the same security level you have… tell me"

"Do you recall the quantum mirror incident?" She nodded, after it the mirror was marked to be studied. "I'm pretty sure you already read the report, however I left something out," he added guiltily.

"Go on…" she trailed seriously.

"I met you, or your alternate counterpart. You were, she was… a civilian Doctor too, who was working for the SGC as an assistant for Catherine, you didn't have Jess. The Jack I met was the Brigadier General in charge of SGC."

"Yes, I read all that, Daniel… I gave, or my alternate self, gave you an address for a planet from which Apophis would have launched his attack and with it, SG teams prevented such event from ever happen on this reality" He nodded, she completed his history with a raised eyebrow.

"What I didn't wrote…" he trailed looking at the floor, "your alternate version was married to Jack's alternate version"

"Holy Hannah!" she exclaimed. "Daniel…" she panicked, and started to pace around the room

"That's why I told you, Sam… he doesn't know about this, I don't know for sure how he would react, I also kept to myself that alternate Charlie was dead." He shrugged, "I didn't want to hurt him with whatever happened on another reality."

She stopped and considered Daniel's words, he knew how she would react and he trusted her to make the right choice when or if the moment came, it was a heavy burden… one she hoped she could carry.

"It was another reality, Daniel, it doesn't mean it will happen here"

"I'm the Archeologist, Sam. You are the astrophysicist … if you are convinced of it, I won't comment this anymore."

"Thanks," she smiled nervously, "Can I call Janet from here?" She asked burying completely the conversation they had. If what she knew about alternate realities and how they worked was half right, it was safe to assume this conversation could come back and bite her in the ass, but for today… the knowledge of it was all she could handle. And judging by Daniel's reaction, he knew it too.


	13. Unexpected Visitor

Ahoy there! Oki doki… this chapter is highly nerd. Whatever part it sounds scientifically impossible to you… blame it on the history xD and look! It's another chapter in a very short time! Woohoo!

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 13 - Unexpected Visitor**

"What I don't get is… why did they attacked me those two times really close together and now, they haven't done anything or we haven't spotted anything wrong?" She asked him between breaths, as they walked the final meters separating them from the back door.

"I don't know... It does bother me too. Maybe they were worried Ne'ac didn't last enough under our care and had to move everything to prevent us finding them, which would point to a large organization," he added pensively. She huffed, they both were covered in sweat and standing close together enjoying the rays of sun warming up their skins. She passed her hand through her forehead and came wet

"I guess is time for a bath, then we can discuss more about your take on the not moving investigation," she smiled trying not to look disheartened. Four weeks were already behind them since the day he had joined her daily activities and a week from today, was Jess birthday.

He went down for breakfast and was about to start when she entered the room, the grave expression told him immediately something had happened. He looked at her and she sighed.

"We need to go," she told him seriously and he frowned, she had never before given him such a straight order. "You got 20 minutes to pack your bag. Philips will take us to the hangar by then," she added walking to the table, picked a cup and started to pour some coffee.

"What happened, Doctor? Why the rush?" The Colonel stopped her placing a warm hand over the one she was about to use to pour the coffee, she bit her lower lip not sure if she was doing it out of the worry she had or the things she felt with his hand over hers.

"Can we talk when we are on the plane? There will be plenty of time there," she asked hopefully and he nodded brusquely. Somehow she found she understood his reaction, he had confessed at some point he didn't like surprises, and to tell the truth, she didn't like them either. Then she grabbed her filled cup and walked towards her room, he followed close behind.

The drive to the hangar passed on a breeze, Sam had called in advance and was getting the last pieces of their flight together. Wanting to know why they were going somewhere so desperately, he had forgotten they would have to return at some point and that other things should be taken care of too, like the party which would be held the next weekend.

Once the plane had taken off, he saw her breath quietly and her stomach growled. She pressed the bridge of her nose and swore, before calling the flight attendant who had quickly prepared a light breakfast on the table in front of her.

"Care to join me?" She asked, turning her head to look at him, he unclipped his seatbelt and walked to the other side of her. "You know, by now you should just use that one, it will save you of walking back and forth every time we reach to food time," she added, grabbing a piece of fruit.

"Well, I thought you might like some sort of privacy," she snorted.

"Really? That's your explanation? Come on, if they keep the things are they are going, soon you will have to follow me inside the bathroom and join me on my bed," she blushed when he raised his eyebrow at her comment, "you know what I mean, right?" he nodded agreeing saving her from her own mouth, "such a hero, you keep saving me, first from assailants, now from my own tongue who happens to run out on me," she mocked and he snorted.

"Okay, seeing that I've saved you, you owe me some answers." She nodded, "where are we going and why in such a rush?"

"Apparently there was a breach on my personal lab in Colorado, the guards on that level, although disconcerted managed to stop the perpetrator and inform the SGC. The causing part is currently being held at the SGC, which is where we are going," she explained

"First, I don't get why they would call the SGC if they are civilians with no security grants, and second, why you have to go? If the perpetrator is already under the SGC jurisdiction, they can find out what it happened by themselves," he inquired slowly, giving her time to take another bite or two.

"Hmm, I don't know for sure what happened. Whatever it was, whomever it was, it only appears with his back towards the camera. For the image I saw, it points to someone from the Air Force or with access to a military bdus, the security personnel at that level in Colorado, are all former SGC members."

"Really?" She nodded, "But why are you going? You have your own set of threats," he pointed after taking a sip of his own coffee.

"Maybe we are lucky and this is related with it. However, we won't know what really happened until we get there." She pointed.

"Touché," he finished and they both concentrated on finish their missed breakfast. Although they both knew the lack of conversation would be short lived. He raised his eyes and observed her, then quickly lowered his eyes. And she did exactly the same thing not long after. He cleared his throat… "but you do have a theory, don't you?" he broke the silence and she raised her arm to check her watch.

"A whole 43 minutes, Colonel, that must be a new record," she joked making him roll his eyes. He was good at being silent, but somehow he wasn't as good when she was involved. She had started to time the duration of his silences when conversation could be continued by theorizing or just a non-sense add up, at some point during week 3.

"Well, last time it was you, and you only reached 37 minutes," he pointed and she laughed.

"Yes, if you must know, otherwise you will continue to prod, I do have a theory"

"Then let's hear it," he shaking breadcrumbs out of his hands.

"Well, there's only one really interesting item on that lab, I'm waiting for Jess summer vacations to go and check it, so she can come and stay with Cass and Janet," she explained casually

"You aren't saying anything," he pointed

"You aren't giving me time to do so," she countered

"What item?" he asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. She opened her mouth to speak and remembered a conversation she had with Daniel, she shook her head to concentrate on the present conversation.

"Are you familiar with the quantum mirror?" He nodded, "that's the only thing I can think it could be of interest for someone."

"That was the one Danny-boy touched and traveled to another reality, right?" he inquired making her nod as an answer, "Okay, but your theory…" he leveled her with his eyes, and she tried not to gulp instead she ended up biting her lip, "are you thinking someone wanted to steal it, or someone inadvertently came through?" they both winced at his options

"Well, General Hammond mentioned the person they have under custody seems to know an awful lot about the SGC, and other personal things related to SG-1 and I"

"So a crossed over" she hummed in acceptance. "Who do you think it can be?"

"I don't know, Colonel, anyone with knowledge on how the mirror works or not, if we stand by Daniel's case. Maybe an alien we still don't know, I could be you."

"Or you,"

"Well, I don't really think I would be working with the SGC in many realities, but sure. I could be another me."

"Why not?"

"Well, I remember quite vividly how the government opposed to my presence at first. They didn't want a third party involved and I was just that, and of course I was the weak link behind Catherine,"

"I can't think of you as a weak link"

"They could," she pointed out with a smile, "and they were right," she added wrinkling her nose.

"How come?" he asked surprised. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow waiting for him to connect the dots. Much to her surprise she had discovered that the Colonel was quite adept on following her rationalization process, his eyes widened a little when he followed her thought line and she smirked, knowing he had reached to her conclusion. "Oh, you mean because of this?" he waved his hands, "Well, you aren't a weak link per se, Doctor, not for the SGC. As you already pointed out on the first meeting, there are plenty of them working at the mountain, they need to grab one, just one and convince them to do their deeds and we are doomed." He shrugged and grimaced, "they did it once already, I'll be too happy if they don't try again"

"I'm still a frailty, otherwise there wouldn't be such worry around my daughter celebrating her 13 birthday. Don't try to point the contrary, Colonel. I must assume I'm not completely safe, or I might end up confusing this state of peace with reality, and forget I'm being hunted by who knows which alien with God complex"

"You are right, Doctor. We can't cover the sun with a finger, but we can't bag it and carry it over our shoulders either." She giggled, "What?"

"I'm just wondering how people still believe you are dumb…"

"Not everyone has to spend almost 24/7 joined at the hip with me," she hummed in agreement, "it doesn't bother you? Daniel gets annoyed with me after the first 8hrs," she found his childish curiosity always sat too close to the outside, and it usually came with bright eyes and a half smile which, depending of what he was trying to learn, it could be self-deprecatory or predatory. She wondered if she ever would see the predatory one directed at her and shook her head when she noticed what she just thought. "Don't answer if you gonna lie," he interrupted her train of thoughts.

"No, it doesn't bother me, I actually find you quite endearing and sagacious, your wit helps too," she explained looking at him in the eyes and he blushed at the compliment, "you are also cute when you blush, but I will keep that piece of information to myself." Both sets of eyes widened, before she clarified, "You can't have people knowing the big bad Colonel O'Neill, Goa'uld killer, galaxy saver and friend of the Asgard has a cute side"

"Yeah, a cute side can break my reputation, and speaking of reputations… care to bet on whom we will find if your theory about the mirror is right?" he tempted making her laugh

They continued chatting for a while, until she decided that being as worried as she was, she couldn't do nothing productive and she convinced the Colonel to share his favorite cartoon with her. Still the trip only lasted enough to make them less distraught but not enough for them to completely forget the situation. When they got to Cheyenne, they were directed straight to the briefing room. The long table was still empty and they took seats at opposite sides of the nearest end of it. Sam's stomach was in knots, her hands were cold and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep a conversation without shivering.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' She thought, as she tried to warm up her hands by rubbing them together, she didn't felt like this since when she was taking her finals on the first year of college or that time when she only had to say yes. She felt the gaze of the Colonel on her and she raised her head and smiled at him, he moved to sit on the chair closer to hair and grabbed her hands.

"Christ! Did you put your hands on an ice block, Doctor? Are you cold? I can turn up the heater," he worried and she smiled shaking her head no.

"I think I'm panicking," she managed to say, "I have not felt like this in a long time"

"Don't worry, I won't be anything wrong,"

"How would you know?"

"If it was something wrong, the protection would be on, and the alarms off," he pointed making her smile. Not surprisingly when Daniel, Teal'c and General Hammond entered the room, the jumped apart and she somehow felt less preoccupied. General Hammond still casted a worried glance towards her which she dismissed with a wink.

"Daniel is the one currently conducting the interviews, he can explain more of the whole situation," General Hammond commented and they all turned around to observe at the Archeologist, who under the weight of many glances pushed nervously his glasses up.

"Okay, this is what we know… someone broke into her lab and you got them." Jack started and Daniel smiled gratefully at his intervention.

"Well, yes. That was the first suspicion. According with the scientist of that level, and the security officers. By the way Richards send his regards, and thanks, you saved his life but his leg was a go." He shook his hands to signal the end of his own interruption, "The alarm of the storage area of your lab started with no apparent reason. I asked if security checked you weren't trying to input your code and failed but they mentioned it is a retina, hand and voice scanners mixed with a safety code. And also, you didn't enter your own office or your lab. So basically, you either teleported there or you weren't there. Security moved to your office and barged in using their security codes that were already changed, a tech confirmed after the event," Sam nodded gratefully at that comment, "And security found your invader, sort to speak. They had a moment of doubt before she asked to be taken to the SGC, or talk with George Hammond, Jack O'Neill with two l's, Daniel Jackson, or Samantha Carter."

"Just names, not ranks? Or titles?"

"Exactly, we found that weird when the security guards called. Teal'c, SG-3 and I went to retrieve the suspect and well, after a surprise, we brought her here."

"And… who is she?"

"What was she doing in there?"

"How she bypassed security?"

"How did she know our names?"

"Does she know something more?"

"If…" he interrupted the interrogatory, "if you calm down, I can show you," he pointed to the tv in the corner, that an Airman was bringing closer. When the airman was far enough not to see what he was going to show, he started the footage.

 _"I'm Major Samantha Carter, USAF"_

 _"What do you know about the Stargate?"_

 _"What do I know? Everything! We've been through this with the Mayor you send before!" she huffed._

 _"Well, let's go through it again" the interviewer told her_

 _"Oh for cryin' out loud," she countered._

Daniel paused the video feed and turned around to find his friends appalled. Both frowning at it, on the weeks passed Sam had heard the Colonel saying that last phrase enough to know from where she would get it, and Jack had seen the normally put together Doctor getting an inch to close to losing her patience with one or two, especially slow, scientist. Seeing both thing on a screen coming from a military her a bit … overwhelming.

"Well, Doc, you owe me 50," Jack comment to break the silence which had fell as the others waited for a reaction on their part. Sam mumbled something grabbing her backpack and passing him a 50-dollar bill not long later.

"What?" Daniel questioned horrified by the action, of every single scenario his mind has provided almost all included one or both of them looking distressed by the appearance on the screen. A 'you owe me 50' wasn't one even in his wildest schemes.

"The Doc theorized on our way back here, that the only thing of value in her storage was the mirror," Jack added dismissively, "and we placed a bet. I chose her, her other … her is here…" he frowned at his poor wording, then shook his head, "she bet on you by the way"

"Well, it was safe one," she shrugged, "if you managed to use the mirror on this reality without knowing what it was, you could as well find it in another reality," she explained her choice, making Daniel frown and press the bridge of his nose.

"You meant to tell me you had got time to bet on who might be coming through the quantum mirror?" The archeologist asked in utter disbelief.

"Give us a break, space monkey…. It was a long flight," he added belatedly with a smirk.

"People! Bet or not," Hammond added shocking his head with a small smile playing with his lips, "can we continue?" They all sobered up and nodded.

"Okay, so what do we know?" Jack asked, resting his head on his hands, and losing by that the grimace on Daniel's face.

"Uh," he huffed, "the common parts or the weird parts?" His friend asked worryingly.

"Define weird parts?" Sam grimaced too.

"The not common part of her alternate reality which can sound really weird in ours?" He attempted as an explanation, and looked at Sam, trying to convey how she wouldn't like the weird ones.

"I guess… common first?" Jackson nodded.

"Okay, her Maiden name is Samantha Carter, she's a Doctor on several things, her field is Astrophysics, and everything in engineering and computer things. Nope, I didn't ask which ones." He clarified, and inhaled deeply, taking a look at his notes, "She's the foremost expert in Stargate related issues and now in alternate realities. She has a 12-year-old daughter called Jessica. She knows me from college…" he trailed.

"And the weird?"

"She joined the Air Force trough ROTC to be able to support Jessica Carter. She's currently a Major and works at the Science Wing of the SGC, ergo, the alternate travels. She… she's married," he became flushed and uncomfortable, Sam frowned because that should have been on the common part, "She has a one-year-old boy called Jake… uhm… O'Neill. Her current legal name is Samantha O'Neill although she uses Carter on base to avoid naming issues, and yes that's because the O'Neill comes from her Johnathan Jack O'Neill, also USAF Colonel and SG-1 leader."

"What?" Came in a duo of distressed voices and Daniel stopped and looked at them.

"In a month they will reach the two year's anniversary. She didn't comment on that when she realized by my reaction that you weren't… uhm… together here."

"Doctor, Colonel… although shocking, her personal status shouldn't be questioned in here. I'm pretty sure there's an explanation on how two Air force officers at SGC are allowed to have a relationship, however, we should focus on learning the motives that brought her here"

"After the third interviewer, she stated this as simply as possible. 'I found the mirror interesting and it was agreed I could learn from other realities and help to keep my reality safe', she also mentioned something about having a couple more hours to go before the first cascade starts?" he trailed in question, mostly directed towards Sam.

"Whatever that cascade is, it means that she has done this before…"

"It appears so, she did give a good number of different version of … our lives… sort to speak, to show she wasn't our Sam nor a cloned Sam… she mentioned you would find this a bit confusing Jack"

"Confusing or not, we are waiting on you two to interrogate her further. She's been asking to see you, any of you at this point. She affirmed that Jack O'Neill would help her to return to her own reality and that you, Doctor, would be the only one who would understand why she was here and the knowledge she has to share."

"I guess I'm going to have a chat with myself," she added frowning, not quite comfortable with the situation.

"Doctor, Colonel…. Don't forget there are things that shouldn't be disclosed," Hammond reminded them.

"What if she shares them first?"

"Then get all the information you can," Hammond added before they were escorted by Daniel to the room in where the interrogation would be done. They stood up in front of the two-way mirror and looked at her alternate counterpart who was brought to the room and chose to sit starting straight at the fake wall, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Do I really look like that when I smirk?" Sam questioned cocking her head. Two firm voices answered her with a quick "yes". And she sighed. "Oh, well… we better start the show then," Jack nodded and joined her on their short walk to the other side.

"Oh, this is nice… they sent you both," She smiled brightly. "That's better, you know how much I hate to repeat myself. Well, you do…" she said looking at Sam, "according to what Daniel gave away, you don't know me that much." She added smiling at Jack.

"I have acquainted myself with a complaint or two on how people should learn with the first try," he grinned making his Carter blush and the other one laugh at her expression.

"It's better that way, isn't? Or at least for me, now I know we get along decently here." She winked at Jack, making Sam blush with her bluntness. "Oh, don't blush… I'm confident Daniel already mentioned my Jack and mine relationship. It's really quite impressing… in the many realities I've been we are stuck like a glue in this whole secret base-world protection scheme"

"So you've been in many?"

"Several… I can share with you a list of planet that you should consider taking out of the list," she offered, two sets of eyebrows were raised. "Oh, come on. Let's see, I take I'm not SG-1. The high end clothes are quite telling. Therefore, you didn't go to P39-XC2. If you didn't, then don't go. If you do go against my advice, when you don't return, send her with the second team, she will be able to save you"

"How do we know you aren't just saying that to keep us behind?" Jack asked not trusting in her words, she looked at him straight in the eyes.

"Come on Jack, why would I lie to you? And I'm pretty sure you would know if I am"

"I'm not your Jack"

"I know!"

"What's on P39-XC2? And why I would be able to save them?"

"Oh! Nothing really… It's a weird looking wood, but there are rules that somehow you are supposed to know before setting a foot on it. Including not carrying weapons of any type. We did, as you might as well know, and we ended up being sent to a prison called Hadante… the only woman in there found me quite interesting, and we managed to get out. However, there's one reality in where I didn't go... and they were stuck there until I arrived to it. They sent me and Teal'c to rescue Jack, Daniel, Reynolds and Simmons. I had to return to my own reality by then, but I contacted them afterwards and they told me the mission was a success. I know…" she said looking at Sam.

"What? What do you know?" Jack asked confused looking between Doctors.

"Well, when she did that, according with theory, at least an alternate reality was created in which the mission wasn't a success. Chances are that I didn't get sent to the prison and returned to Earth, or I got sent and you weren't there anymore; or the woman already left or she didn't help me either… among any other number of possibilities… each one of them, is a new alternate reality close to the first reality I, I mean, she arrived at," The Doctor explained to him.

"Very good, I like that I know my own theories," she smiled to herself.

"So we established this is not the first reality you've touched," Sam affirmed, "why this one?"

"Your quantum mirror wasn't in any other environment I've seen before, I came up with it and thought it might be a good one, assessing Daniel's reaction to my attempts of explaining our regular lives or how they could be, I'm was right."

"What you told Daniel?"

"Well, yes… let's see. I have a daughter, Charlie is alive here too, you are in the Air Force, I'm not… ah, your cabin either has fish or you are still making them believe it so they join you." She raised her hands in surrender, "I know is not the fish is the fishing," she rolled her eyes.

"Why you?"

"Well, I'm officially not in SG-1 anymore, and there was this nice mirror I had to study. You, I mean my Jack suggested someone should use it and see if we could help each other since the allies are more trouble than help"

"But why you alone? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't send you alone if we had a relationship," he frowned, alternate Sam smiled brightly and his Sam blushed. "I mean…"

"Don't try to explain it…" Sam-A as his mind provided, told him with a sympathetic smile, "you will only make it worse… and yes, you opposed vehemently is must say. 'It's not that I don't trust her abilities, I just that.. uhg… we shouldn't let her go alone. I could go… someone else could go, just good ole backup,'" Sam-A imitated her Jack. "But there's one catch on the inter-reality exchange, a side effect of sorts."

"Entropic Cascade failure," his Sam whispered and the other Sam beamed at her

"Oh! I like you! Yes… that's a reality."

"What the hell is that cascade thing?"

"Theoretically speaking multiple versions of the same person shouldn't be able to co-exist in the same reality due to the increased entropy." His Doctor explained and then looked at him, and shook her head, "why do you let me explained like that first? That means that the two of us shouldn't be able to live in this same reality without causing some sort of failure or decease of sorts on her. Because she's the one entering the space where I already exist, you'll see when Daniel traveled he didn't experience it because his other self was already deceased so there weren't two of them"

"So you are risking to get sick travelling around? Are you nuts? You said you have kids!" She smiled softly at him.

"I'm not in danger, it only last while I'm in the secondary reality. Once I'm back to mine then we are okay."

"How long do we have?"

"Well, it depends… my experience shows than the furthest away I'm from my own reality harsher are the effects of ECF, it also seems to appear faster. I'm yet to find one where the effects are subtle"

"Subtle? Further?"

"Well…" his Sam huffed thinking how explain it to him, Sam-A smiled because she already went through this and found really endearing to watch the process all over again, "let's make it simple, let's say that every single decision you've made can only have two options and one answer, okay?" he nodded, "and let's go back to the first decision you took, let's say it was something simple… boxers or briefs, kay?" he blushed but nodded nonetheless. "Wherever you chose, is your first reality, yes? And what you didn't becomes an alternate reality. Now, you continue to grow and have to take more decision as you go… I don't know, math or chemistry? Ask her out or not? Join or not join? Air Force or Army? Special ops or not? Take the first mission or not? Join the SGC or Not? Whatever the person on reality 'A' chooses become part of his reality, whatever you don't becomes a new reality with your same history and all. "

"Okay… I get it."

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that," Sam A grimaced, "because every one of us has a set of choices and the combination of our choices create an alternate reality... therefore, there are hundreds of thousands of realities"

"Okay, and what would be a close reality and what would be a far reality then?"

"A close reality is one where the decisions are similar or in case of a point of divergence, the result is still the same or close"

"So the theory of having a point of divergence not as important as other doesn't exactly means the realities are N-realities apart is correct?"

"I'm yet to confirm or deny that one, although all I've seen points to it."

"Now in English"

"Well, let's say that boxer or briefs wasn't a life path changer. Just a fashion choice, your next choice on both realities was let's say army or air force… and both ended up choosing the Air force, there is out there a reality where you chose boxers and you are Air Force, and one the you use briefs and you are Air Force… those realities are closer between them. So if reality A is boxers and Airforce, and reality B is brief and Air Force, reality C is boxers and Army and d Briefs and Army… then A is closer to B and C and further away from D." His Sam explained and he looked at her and then hit his head with the table.

"Can we stop now, I'm starting to get a headache," he groaned and both Sam's giggled at him.


	14. Point of view

**Hey people! Sorry for let you hanging there… I was supposed to post this one on Wednesday… but, you know life and its turns? So I'm on a work travel with no much time for myself (or you) and I couldn't post it until now! What's worse… I won't be able to write the next one during the week either *gasps* sooo, you will have to wait until I'm back home** **L** **. Now, enough bad news….**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 14 - Point of view**

Doctor and Colonel left the room, and moved to the small room on the other side, the moment they reached inside, Jack hit his head with the wall and groaned… loudly. Daniel shook his head and Sam looked at him half curious half worried.

"Too much?" Daniel asked with a knowing smile making his girl-friend expression change to one of amused understanding.

"Two of her are one scientist too many in my life…" he mumbled not moving from the wall, then he turned around, "Tell me space monkey… how are we always involved in this ones? Why can we get the tropical planets, cold beers with umbrellas ones? Don't answer that…" he growled, raising his hand to stop him to start with the explanation, "I know you... and if you do I will get an even larger explanation of why and I really don't want to know"

"There's cake in the menu," Daniel quipped amusedly.

"Cake! That's exactly what I need, Doc? Want a piece"

"No, thank you … maybe my alternate self will join you," she said pointing to her pacing self on the other side of the mirror.

"Better ask," he shrugged, "maybe she tells me something interesting… not related to all that technobabble only you can understand," he finished, turning around and winking to his Doctor, then he walked out of the room and entered the other side. "Hey Doctor, may I interest you on some cake?" he asked with a boyish grin making Sam-A smile.

"Yes, Jack… but it is Sam… Major works too," she smiled when she noticed the uncomfortable expression he gave her on her first offering.

"Okay, Major… I'm pretty sure you are acquainted with this facility as well as I am, so… lead the way"

On the other side, the archeologist analyzed at his friend as much as he could, and waited for her to talk and confess whatever it was eating her. He was pretty sure it had something to do with the presence of her other self and the conversation they had before.

"Don't look at me like that, that they are married on her reality it doesn't mean anything in ours!" she huffed, "It's another reality for the differences we have…" Daniel looked at her without uttering a word, "she's another version of whatever choice was so important, she's in the military that has to count…" she whined and bit her lower lip nervously. Daniel cleared his throat.

"Sam… you still can choose, whatever you want to do or don't want to do… is still your choice," he told her softly opening his arms, she hugged him tightly, "Now… I believe I understood your explanation, also know you…I dare say more than anyone out there. Is she from a closer reality?" he asked her and she nodded against his chest as answer, "because she knows me from college? Or…" she sighed.

"Well, there are many reasons pointing to it. She knows you from college, she has a Jess… you mentioned the other Charlie wasn't alive, hers is. But then again, she is a Major… I am not." He raised his eyebrow and she closed her eyes, of course Daniel knew, "I have to ask her, Daniel… but I can't risk it being recorded"

"Then visit her at her room?" he shrugged, "My real concern, Sam… is… what happens if every divergence point still leads you to be together?"

"Worst case scenario? There's always a 50-50 choice on each of us, Daniel. I can't choose for him or force him to choose. He can't force me to choose either, at the most we can affect our decisions by whatever it happens… but ultimately, each one has to decide. That said, maybe there are plenty of realities in which we are tightly tied to this program and Earth safety and it doesn't mean that we have to have a … relationship of the intimate kind."

"No, you don't understand my question, Sam. I don't doubt you, I know if it happens you will let him choose whatever he wants to. But as your friend, I'm kind of worried for you. My concern comes from another place, that being said… my question is…" he said tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ears, "this time around, will you chose your happiness or your fortune? We both know which one you chose the first time and how that ended," he looked at her in the eyes and she blushed softly and sucked her lower lip. "Think about it, Sam… you know I'll be there no matter which one you chose" he kissed her on the cheek and walked towards the door, "Shall we?" Sam nodded and followed him.

On another floor, Major and Colonel sat, one incredibly uncomfortable under the unwavering gaze of the other. Finally, she lowered her eyes and the Major smiled at his distressed stance and then she snorted.

"Colonel, if you keep shifting awkwardly you won't enjoy your cake, and I know how much you hate when someone spoils your cake time," she winked making him groan.

"You do know me a lot, don't you?" he whined.

"Well, there are some advantages on being married to another you," she shrugged. "Don't worry, we didn't exactly do anything against the USAF to make that happen, not fully by choice at least. That aside, you are … you in most realities I've went to. There are darker yous or happier yous… but there's always something completely and inherently you, like there's something completely and inherently me in each 'Sam Carter' I've met," she added looking wiser beyond her years, which he still wondered how many were.

"What are you saying, Doc?" He inquired in the same way he had questioned her many times before in the several weeks they've spent together, then he shook his head remembering, "I mean Major"

"Nothing really." She shrugged smiling, "Or nothing bad at least… I'm just saying that in essence part of whomever we ended up being in another reality, has still the same essence that the person we are, no matter how much different we became." They sat quietly for a while, both immersed in thoughts and using the silence to take a bite or two of the cake slices in front of them,

"Can I ask you a question? It's private… and personal," she winced because she knew how he hated to talk about private, and even more when that was also personal, he observed her crooking his head. "I promise whatever your answer is, I won't tell, erhm, me… maybe my Jack, but not to another me. This is your reality to modify not mine," he weighted her words and nodded once, "In the many realities I went through, you and your first wife aren't together for several reasons. The most tragic one, is the death of your son." He clenched his jaw

"Yes, Daniel mentioned it from the one he visited," he agreed somberly, and she waited for him to compose, "go on," he waved and she assented.

"In my reality and in several other ones, you aren't together even if your son is alive. Which leads me to conclude that you have or had issues in your marriage… so, are you and first wife together? And why?" she asked, he noticed how curiosity shone in her eyes as if he was a mysterious piece of tech she had to decipher, and for that reason alone, he agreed to reveal the situation to her.

"We are together," he added passively. "However, you are right, we had and still have issues… as all married couples have. We been on the verge of calling it quits but we have persisted." he trailed, shutting his mouth on time to avoid the 'for Charlie' that almost escaped.

"I see…" she trailed, and he knew she did. They finished their cakes in silence, and she contemplated him for a while before softly smiling at him, "The next one is for you to think about," he raised his eyebrow questioningly and she shrugged before adding, "I don't need your answer, you do. Is it love, companionship, or simply a habit?"

With that she stood up and walked away. He blinked a couple of times analyzing her words, the question engraved deep in his thoughts… along with other questions he knew he needed an answer to, but didn't dare to analyze. He joined her not long after that and walked her down to the same room she was before, surprisingly the other Sam, the one from his own reality, was already there.

"Ready for more technobabble, Colonel?" she smiled softly and he nodded, they all took seats and another round of science chat started. He groaned halfway through and auto dismissed himself to the next room, both women shook their heads amused.

After a while in the room, The Doctor knew she would need a copy of the video surveillance to fully grasp all her other self was telling her, not that she didn't understand it at the moment, but there was so much information pouring out that it was almost impossible to be sure if she learned everything or not. All the knowledge given freely about alternate realities was fascinating. They also talked about other kinds of tech, even when what her alternate self knew about alien tech wasn't much comparable to what she knew, there were still things she hadn't got time or permission to check yet and the main difference was alternate Sam had more access to the Goa'uld tech, while hers was restricted due to the use of zat's by the SG teams, and the only set of kara kesh and healing device was heavily guarded, and she was yet to get her hands on it but after what she had just heard she was pretty sure she would be granted permission soon no matter how much the comment on how she was able to use them because of her brief encounter with Jolinar wasn't expected… at all.

"They didn't tell you? Huh… I thought they would, they should know it if they went to Cimmeria," she frowned. "there we found a former host who was freed from her Goa'uld, surviving the trials of Thor's hammer, she told us she had been left with an ability to keep using the false God's instruments for good, when we went back to Cimmeria, we found she had passed away but she left them for me to use and study them"

"Hum, I knew they got the devices from there and I have read their reports." She frowned, "I can't recall it mentioning any one being able to use them," they both shrugged, "I guess now I know. There's something I'm yet to ask…"

"Go ahead…"

"Entropic cascade failure…" Sam-A raised an eyebrow surprised, "I know we already went through the theory of why it happens but …how is it?"

"Oh! Our Janet explains it like violent and painful convulsions. However, it looks like a ghost of you and me floating around my physical body as it convulses hardly… and Jack's right, sounds pretty ridiculous when explained like that." She added amusedly

"Jack… as in the Colonel?" she questioned and shook her head at how she had sounded, the Major smiled knowingly.

"Nope, as in my husband." She smiled, letting her know with it, that she knew who the Doctor was thinking of, "They are quite alike, although not necessarily the same person"

"Are you assuring that you and I aren't the same person?"

"I am. We have the same genes, the same structure… however, we are as different as we are alike. The individuality is something that isn't lost in each reality, even when there are core parts that we share. Believe me… I've been around enough me's to know I'm not them and you aren't I"

"Okay, that's confusing," they chuckled. "Let's go to something simple, why are you skipping realities if you were part of SG-1?"

"Ah, it's kind of a complicated history… and it was due to a mistake from Daniel mainly."

"It has to do with your…erhm… _relationship_ with Colonel O'Neill?" she asked blushing, and her alternate self-nodded once. "How is possible for two officers in the same base to be married? How did you managed to overcome your USAF policies? I'm sorry, that's a bit too personal"

"But your father was a General and you know the rules… I get it, I would ask the same thing," she winked. "As I already said, it's a complicated history. We... hum… liked each other and pretended not for a while, then we resolved not to act on it because of the rules and we became friends… all the four members of SG-1 and Janet, family almost. And then, X30P32 came," she sighed, "believe me, if I had another choice I would gladly have taken it. Even if I meant I had to wait forever to get to the same point. It wasn't nice, it wasn't decorous… but it was his life." She added firmly, and sighed.

Her words scared the Doctor, whatever had happened Sam knew in that moment it was something which had changed her other self enough to be a divergence point between the two of them, she opened her mouth to say something comforting, anything really, but nothing came.

"We arrived to X30P32, and somehow, Daniel managed to offend a chieftain…" she trailed, "for what we understood, a word he thought he knew didn't mean exactly what he thought and as punishment, they took Jack… a leader for offending a leader, they've said," she added biting her lower lip. "Daniel apologized in different ways or at least, he tried to. They mentioned only a special rite could save Jack's soul at that point…The Rite of Al'iel'kram. I remember that word as if was repeated to me several times. It was his salvation… so we agreed without thinking and without questions."

"Why I have the feeling I won't like it?" Sam asked but her other self was already too deep into her memories to have heard her.

"They grabbed all of us, and dragged us to different places. They moved me to a room, stripped me out of my clothes, washed me, dressed me with several layers… and showed me a dance. I was skeptical at first it was a set of a complicated bunch of steps after another. But I managed to learn it, it was important to save him. Once I learned them, they brought Daniel to explain the rite to me… he was bright red as the words got to his ears. He asked me for forgiveness several times, before telling me… 'you have to perform the dance, and kiss Jack…. And then, you have to have sex. If you do, you prove to them that his soul is still attached to someone's and as such, it can't be taken If you don't… you both die. He, as a sacrifice to the Chieftain, and you as a sacrifice for his soul and to clean yours from the lie of your participation at the rite when you weren't … soulmates.'"

Alternate Sam sighed heavily, and took a sip or two of the water in front of her, while Sam looked at her bewildered, not quite believing what she had just heard. It sounded awful, and denigrating… and the only hope Sam-A had to save the man she loved. She also knew she would have done it without a doubt, if she found herself in that situation.

"I don't know if he forgot to mention or if they didn't tell him, but there was also a beverage to be drunk. They forced Jack to drink it and as I saw that, I just gulped it down as fast as I could… at the end, I thanked it, I needed the alcohol to go through it… It was a really strong drink and I don't really remember much after the dance and the kiss, or what I do remember isn't something I would share here." She waved her hands to the air pointing the room, Sam understood her… it was the camera not the situation. "What I do know is that we both were too intoxicated with each other and with the drink to care on the where we were or on the who was looking… I remember the head ache and the want of more of whatever we had been given when Daniel and Teal'c dragged us back to the SGC. As if, having sex in front of a crowd and our two partners wasn't enough, the drink also counteracted the effects of the contraceptive…. When we were finally awake, we found the results of what we did. SG-1 was on leave until a solution for our situation was found. They understood it was to save him, but they also knew we couldn't remain in the same team after that. Even if we didn't like each other, because if we didn't 'it would be a stressful situation, and as we do, because it was against the rules." She finished, "They moved me out of his Chain of Command and out to the Science department, however, they decided to keep me at the SGC to help with the gate and the tech while Jack remains. We got married not long afterwards, and Jake was born 44 weeks after X30P32," she showed her a picture of them, she had a white dress and her Jack his dress blues and were smiling happily.

"Wow," was all that she could come up with making the alternate her laugh.

"Yeah, I get that reaction everywhere." She added rubbing her face tiredly, before grabbing the picture and place it on her pocket again.

"I bet. Okay… now, why are you skipping realities? I understand you being moved to the science department but from there to this…."

"Well, they granted it before I went out killing airheads," she huffed.

"Airheads? Intelligence people?" she frowned, "you are being chased by someone because of your time with Jolinar," the Doctor affirmed and the other raised an eyebrow.

"This confirms our realities are closer," Sam-A smirked.

"You are skipping realities to find out more about who is behind it?" The Doctor asked with widened eyes, making the Major shook her head no.

"I know who is behind… we haven't found a base yet. Have you?"

"You know? Who?"

"You don't? How?" Both raised their eyebrows until alternate Sam moved her hands in a typical surrender fashion. "Okay, I get it… I speak first so you can start talking about it. Right?" Sam nodded, and she huffed, "Believed or not, the Goa'uld set a woman called Ne'auc to find me, apparently they were following me around for a while and with that they managed to pin me at a gym. Since it is a female only one, they send her to get me out. I called Jack when I felt her naquadah and made her follow to the sauna, kicked her ass and took her to the SGC. Jaffa woman aren't as hard to break as a male. I take yours didn't break"

"We captured one, after the second attempt"

"Second attempt?"

"Yup, the first one happened when I was leaving the gym I used to go, I escaped. The second, we were on a shopping center and they attacked again"

"Impressive"

"Not really, we only grabbed one of the 3 attackers because one of the other two zatted him." She shrugged dismissively. "But he hasn't break yet… what about safety measures for you? Apart from roaming alternate realities"

"Ah, we are all stuck at the mountain, they thought it was easier to have kids underground than having us out there. So Jack, Charlie, Jess, Jake and I have been living on VIP quarters for a while now. Four weeks. Charlie was really depressed since he had to spent his birthday in, Jess isn't much happy with her birthday looming closer… it's next week. What about you?"

"Well, I got Colonel O'Neill as my protector"

"Ah, so you work out there…" She affirmed then yawned, "care to walk me to a VIP Quarter to sleep?"

They seized each other for a while, before Sam nodded. They walked silently to her temporary room, it was guarded and she expected that, it happened in every other reality she had visited. The guards looked at both of them with a slight confused frown but let them both in.

"We aren't so different after all, are we? I really found a reality when there was one choice taken differently, didn't I?" Sam-A questioned in wonder.

"What do you mean?" The doctor asked, seating on one side of the bed after checking the chairs.

"Desert Storm," the other affirmed watching carefully to the Doc, the way she straightened and clenched her jaw was everything she needed to know.

"What are you saying?" Sam enquired bitterly.

"My choice…" The Major trailed sadly, before plopping herself on the bed with her head at the feet so she could see herself. The Doctor threw her a pillow when she noticed, "I found myself pregnant, I was 18 and the father was an ass, which I presume is the same place you were at 18…. The father is Rodney McKay." She sneered, "Back then, I had to choose… marry him or not. If I got married, then I would be able to keep all my companies. If not, I could join the Air Force as they had politely asked me thousands of times before…."

"And you joined while I didn't," Samantha finished for the Major, getting an affirmative nod as an answer. "But?"

"Both actions lead to the same thing, two realities with the same events. Desert Storm was next"

"Go on"

"Since we were too young to be founders of any company, Rodney offered. He was old enough by then, he also added a clause to it, if I wanted to have the companies on my name I had to marry him and stay married to him at least until my 21th birthday when they could finally be mine legally. However, if I didn't accept it, there was still a small issue… we were contracted by the USAF to develop an enhanced F-15"

"The Strike eagle," they both said.

"That's the one. If I left without finishing it, they would have sued me and Rodney would end up having Jess custody. So in 87 I started ROTC and worked on the F-15 prototype, gave birth and when I saw her… I worked harder because I didn't want her near the bastard she got as a father. However, when I finished, we still had to make a real test: Someone had to fly the prototype on war zone," the Major stopped, "they pre ordered a few, but only one was used for over 100 hours during desert storm." She smiled sadly, "I left Jess with a nanny at the hotel, Rodney paid her with the money he stole from me, because he couldn't stand Jess's cries to keep her at his home. That's me… what did you do with her while you were flying those over 100 hours, Doctor?" The Major inquired looking her straight to the eyes, The Doctor cleared her throat.

"Jess was at the hotel with a nanny, I paid for it with my own money which Rodney can't control because I'm the legal owner of all my companies. He gets a salary and he mounted a company in LA, to stay far away from Jess issues and of course, get a few girls around his bed," she answered sharply

"ROTC?"

"All four years of it," Sam smiled remembering those days, while the alternate her raised an eyebrow questioningly, but she didn't inquire out loud, she simply moved to sit beside her, "you are wondering how, right? Well, having money becomes really handy at some point, I offered to return all the money they invested on me and they let me go, or at least I'm not an official part of the USAF."

"They still called you a couple of times, right? You still went through the same shit I went, I can tell…" she trailed looking at her, when Sam raised her eyebrow she continued, "you are _darker_ than my other mes," she stopped and analyzed the Doctor, she saw how under the calm and apparently harmless exterior there was this dangerous streak hidden under the smile and the bright eyes. That was the something her Jack found the most attractive asset in her, because that darkness had put her in the same wavelength that he navigated at. "How long?"

"The calls?" Alternate Sam nodded, "Well, I had several over the years. The most complicated one to answer, I believe it was when I was still trying to make the Stargate work, and I was called."

"And you told Catherine about Daniel and he managed to finish what you started," She affirmed and Sam nodded

"They stopped once they figured out I was a better asset as a Scientist with this program than as a … _professiona_ l out of it"

"Do you regret it? Any of it?"

"No, I can't forget either. Nor I can forgive myself," she whispered and her alternate self couldn't help but relate to the sentiment.

"Jack will be good for you, you'll find it at some point," the Major told her softly, giving her shoulder a slight bump with her own.

"He is married and so am I"

"Yeah… keep that in mind and try to believe it's an unmovable situation. I, however, have been around way too many alternate realities… this one is one of the few in which Jack and I aren't together. Yet, you are the only one I've seen who has the only thing my Jack has confessed was the reason why he and Sarah could never last…" The Major smiled and the Doctor frowned, "you understand dark moments, she doesn't. You understand secrecy, she doesn't. You understand discipline and hard work, she tries but she doesn't… you understand him more than you understand yourself, and she doesn't. And more importantly, you might have found already, he understands you… more than he lets everyone else know" she smiled softly remembering what she had witnessed that day. There was a knock in the door at that moment and the man they were talking about entered the room followed by Daniel.

"Ahm… Doctor, Major… Hammond wants to see you, both of you. And…" he added looking at both then deciding on the one in the suit, "Apparently your father is here"


	15. Who?

**Hey people!**

 **I'm back… almost… first one other thing to clarify… yes, this Sarah sucks, I know it! :D and I also know that what we saw in SG-1 of her was a nice and soft and extremely sad woman. She had gone through a situation no parent should go through and that's one who makes you or breaks you, and it's one of the few things which can change you completely. So yes, this Sarah sucks. But she has her child and her husband and apparently not many other issues apart from her jealousy. Now, to explain her better, or why she's like that in here, imaging yourself in an extremely hot day, and you are hungry, bloated, sweaty and more over cranky. And for some reason you have to go out somewhere fancy and you go and find your most comfortable fancy shoes, and when you try them… they don't fit. And you try to push them, to move them, to force them in and every time you try you get angrier for no other reason than something that was supposedly comfortable now doesn't fit. And someone tells you, go find another pair, but you don't want any other pair… those are in fact your most comfortable shoes, why change them? And then, they are in, but they are tight and your feet hurts and you still go out with them on. Not noticing how in your attempt to use them, you damaged your shoes until it's too late. So that's her… at this moment. Maybe there's an alternative reality in which she is still the nice lady we've meet once. (yes, I was cranky and hungry when I thought of this)**

 **Anyhow! Enough text already… out we go.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 15 – Who?**

Doctor, Major, Colonel and Doctor walked up to the briefing room. One doctor walked faster than the other two, clearly in a hurry. When she got to the room she stopped brusquely, giving the Colonel who was walking behind her just enough time to stop without pushing her.

"Dad," she whispered and the Colonel wished he was on the other side of the room, because he had felt the emotions hidden in such short word. But from his point of view he saw the old General eyes brightening up almost as much as when he confessed why we really accepted the alien symbiont.

"Sammie!" The old man smiled brightly, and Jack would be very surprised if someone else didn't noticed she was that reason, even if the man hadn't told anyone but him about it. Well, the former General had mentioned both his kids but he was pretty adamant that only her would completely accept him back, before shutting up for good.

The Carters embraced long and tight until Daniel cleared his throat, but he saw the man frown when he spotted the second Sam.

"Sam?" he asked looking from one to the other.

"Ah, long history. Dad, this is Major Carter from another reality."

"Come here kiddo," he told her surprising them both. But the Major smiled warmly and quickly fallen into the same kind of embrace than the Doctor was submitted to before. "So, what are you doing here?" He asked, not doubt Selmak had something to do with his quick way to behave and his lack of questions over realities.

"I'm doing some alternative realities jumping to find out how Earth is faring in other situations, why are you here?" she countered and Jacob Carter found himself under the penetrating gaze of his daughter and his daughter from an alternative reality, he sighed.

"Well, let's say that this was the precise moment to take some mission vacations, I can stay for two or three weeks before I have to return to the Tok'ra or until they call me." He grinned as his daughter beamed at him. "And if I remember things correctly, I have a granddaughter who will be turning 13 in between those 3 weeks"

"Then I must go back too," Sam-A added pensively, her comment was received by a large group of raised eyebrows and questioning looks. "Well, if my dad, _her_ dad is here, mine could be as well back at my own reality or about to get back and I really need a word with him about my current situation. All things considered I believe I have given you enough information to help you and that should be a fair exchange for my own liberty to return home"

"We will need to check that, Major," Hammond commented and she nodded once.

"Ah, I do have a question for you, Major," the Doctor commented guiltily, and the Colonel raised an eyebrow since they were chatting for the most part of the day, she blushed. "We kind of got distracted," she explained to him and turned around to look at herself, "you've never told me who is it?"

"You are right! It completely slipped out of my mind…"

"Care to share…" The Colonel added somewhat annoyed.

"Sure," the Major grinned self-consciously, "I was commenting to Sam that my family and I are currently secluded at Cheyenne due to the little fact that someone is trying to get to me. But, that we have managed to restrain my first attacker and make her talk"

"Her?" Jack asked surprised and it had surprised the other people in the room

"Yes, they sent a Jaffa woman to get me"

"That's … unheard of." Daniel frowned, "well, at least here"

"IT's unheard of there too," she shrugged, "but it points to a connection with Earth, she doesn't know who on Earth is following me, but she did know where I would be, and had a detailed schedule of my activities"

"Therefore, someone was following her around as someone was following me"

"Riiight"

"Anyhow, Jaffa warrior are hard to break, but she was no warrior. She broke fairly easily, we could say that anticipating her failure they didn't tell her much, but we all know that's not a Goa'uld MO, they _don't fail_. We concluded that there were more people out but the way it happened wasn't how they expected it… Anyhow, Sam can give you a more detailed version, and you probably can tell us more about the mastermind behind it, dad" The major grinned.

"So, who is it?" Sam asked again.

"The name is Sokar… and he wants me dead,"

"Sokar?" Sam asked, cocking her head a little, "the name rings a bell, wasn't that the one that you called me to make the gate connect faster?" they nodded, "Huh, but it's not from there that the name sounds familiar, it's related with something hot," she commented

"Yeah, that's what I've felt too. But I dug a little deeper, because obviously I've had more time to process it, and I remember being banished to somewhere hot, I can't remember the name of the place, and I remember escaping it, although I have no memories of the how."

"And of course, it wasn't you," the Doctor added in an afterthought and the rest of the room frowned.

"Yes, it wasn't me. I would remember if those were my memories,"

"But they aren't… those are Jolinar's?" She finished in a question to which the Major nodded affirmatively. The Carters of the same reality pinched the bridges of their noses, making Hammond smile at such similar reaction.

"The Sokar who took Apophis?" Jack asked to the man and he nodded once.

"Yes, Jack, there's only one Sokar around. In fact, my next mission is related to him."

"Let's see, for what I know Sokar is Satan, and Apophis wanted us to give him sanctuary to protect him of the devil." He smirked, "but he died and we sent him back and Sokar never tried to attack us anymore"

"Yes, he also was the ruler for the Goa'uld until a group of other System Lords joined together to bring him down. We just got word he has a managed to create an army for himself and plans to attack to retrieve his power. But that's for another occasion." Jacob dipped his head and started to talk again.

"Greetings, I must say that I know why you both remember the heat being associated with the name. Before you had unwillingly joined with Jolinar, in one of her missions she had been lost for us for longer than recommended. Then, on a mission Martouf and a couple others found her adrift on a Tel'tak, at her debriefing, she told us she was sent to Sokar's prison and escaped." He looked somberly between the girls and then he stopped in Jack, "As far as I know, no one has ever escaped his prison… except Jolinar"

"So he might be searching for us because he may believe we still know how to escape?"

"It's a valid conclusion, yes. Revenge can be a powerful motive, so can be the knowledge of the way out of an unbreakable prison"

"Oh for heaven sakes! It never can be an easy one!" Jack mumbled, and blushed uncomfortably when he noticed he had said it out loud, "What I mean is… we still need to find out how and with him is he working for, so now we know who is trying to get to the Doctor, but we aren't closer to find anything else"

"Yeah, we are stuck in that too," The Major sighed, "I still need to return. If dad can't provide more about him, I can't either. I know about the same you know, he wanted Apophis back and to hold of our gate until I rewrote the dial soft to make it faster and we connected the gate before he did, and we sent Apophis to him." She shrugged. "However, given the fact that our realities are close enough that we are both in the same situation, I will like to keep contact with you through the mirror in case there's something wrong?"

"But how would you know which reality you have to access to?"

"Well, it's easy actually, somehow each reality has a different component, and that's how I know which one is mine to start. I can go back and send you the data and blueprints for the reader you will need and the control device to move across realities. We found one in the planet but if you haven't found one, then you still will be able to create one easily"

"That would be awesome, we can keep in touch if either one of us finds something about our situation!" Sam beamed and Jack saw as General Hammond face changed with the exchange and the smile, he cleared his throat understanding from where his CO came.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Doctor, Major. However, what you are proposing might be security issue," he commented sternly and both crooked their heads with little frowns, then both closed their eyes adding the same 'of course' at the same time. "Is not that we don't trust you, is just that… we don't trust you" Jack frowned. Although, his gut told him that alternate Sam deserved to be trusted as much as their regular Doctor Carter, his military training fought that concept telling him that she was unknown and similarities between the two females shouldn't be cause of a misjudgment. Especially when he was being feeling… weird things… around his own version of her. He failed to contain the groan that his current train of thoughts forced onto him.

"Well, the Colonel is right, Doctor, Major. How can be sure you won't share with each other things that could affect us? Or our security?"

"Really, General?" Daniel interrupted, "That's easy, we are sure they will share things that can affect us, like weapons knowledge, tech knowledge, heck! Even if I can chat with myself from her reality we can get language knowledge too. It's an open door to share things as we learn them and she is willing to do it, which leads me to believe your other you is willing to do it, and even the other Jack is willing to do it"

"If you put it like that Daniel, we could benefit of two Doctor Carter on a moment of tension, sir. Maybe, if one doesn't manage to get the answers, two could"

"If I may, ahm, throw my two coins in," Selmak added frowning a little at the uncommon human phrase and making Jack and Daniel grin. "I believe Samantha sharing information with herself couldn't possibly be considered a risk. However, you can always organize the encounters in a way they are never unsupervised when together. Maybe it can be done with full cooperation of yourselves from her reality, once she's back there," they all felt silent and turned around to look at the base CO, who looked pensively. Then he nodded.

"Very well, Colonel escort the Major to the mirror. Doctor, by all means join them and find out all the information you need to set the first meeting with our pairs. Doctor Jackson, please escort Jacob to the infirmary, he still has to be checked up before you three can return to San Diego"

They all nodded and moved to complete their parts of their orders. Both Sam's and Jack walked towards the lab in which the mirror was safely kept under supervision, the lab was empty and the Major smiled recognizing it as her lab. The backpack she brought with her was placed over a work table.

"Huh, weird isn't no one around," she commented, she always thought that if she wasn't around, her lab would belong to someone else.

"Ah, that might be because I'm the 'owner' of this one," The Doctor said quoting the word with her hands. Then she shrugged, "The Air Force decided that if I need to come here to work then I should be able to work undisturbed… probably that's away from prying eyes helps too. Up until I was formally introduced to the Colonel, I hadn't had a chance to meet many of the SG teams, especially not SG-1"

"Well, it makes sense," her alternate mused, "It's my own lab back home," she explained when she got two pointed gazed directed at her. "How did they manage to bring it here if you have the keys?"

"Daniel," she said with a smile

"Duh! Of course I would have given Daniel a copy if I wasn't around. Ahm, do you mind if we have a couple words before I leave?" She asked looking at Jack, who nodded politely and started to back away, he heard her chuckle and stopped. "I mean, with you. I believe Sam and I have reached to an understanding and with the chance of future meetings, there's not much left to say at the moment"

When he agreed with her, he turned around to find his Carter already out of the lab. He looked at her and she saw through his façade how ill at ease he really was, and smiled softly at him. Her hand raised and caressed his cheek and he clenched his jaw, making her sigh. She moved forward and caressed his lips with hers so softly and briefly that he was left wondering if she really did so or he imagined it.

"You have to understand you really aren't him, you know? But you are so similar, you are the closest Jack to my Jack. He has the same face, same voice, same hands… same darkness," She trailed cocking her head to look at him, he felt as she was looking straight to his soul. He chuckled nervously.

"Which brings to mind an obvious question," he added self-consciously, she raised a challenging eyebrow, "How could you marry such a loser?" She laughed at him, shocking her head.

"You are not a loser, Jack" she caressed his cheek again, this time his head followed her hand, "and you know it. You are smarter than you make anyone belief, and she knows it. You are caring, selfless, wise… I can go on but I know how uncomfortable you get under praise. And if she is as similar to me as I think she is, then the poor woman doesn't stand a chance. Anyhow, I just wanted to thank you because I know you are going to take a good care of her" she turned around and called Sam, before frowning a little and add a last line, "oh, mine isn't a loser, hers … totally is"

Sam looked at her with a confused frown, not quite knowing what the hell where they talking about before she was called back, and Jack chuckled quietly. Task that she really wanted to achieve and couldn't avoid to feel a pang of jealousy at her alternate self for being able to do it so easily. Sam-A cleared her throat bringing her back to the reality, the knowing look didn't help to keep her mind from wandering too much.

"If you are ready, then we can go"

"Ok, so how does this work?" Jack questioned as he saw the Major rummaging inside a backpack that was carelessly placed on a table next to the mirror.

"Easy," she said, with a smile grabbing a remote that looked almost like an old PlayStation one.

"Is that a Playstation control?" he asked and the smirk from the Major was all the confirmation he needed. "Oy! Doctor, let me tell you I won't have you near my playstation," he added making them both laugh.

The mirror shone and she started to shift through realities, when one looked familiar enough, she grabbed another thing from the backpack, and attached it to where the cables used to go. The artifact made a sound and she continued to change them until the beep changed.

"Ha! This is mine…" she grabbed a small package from her backpack and threw it to the other side. Immediately alarms started to run off. Not too long after, Jack was seeing himself on the other side. And Sam-A was granted permission to cross over. Seconds later, she was going through her lab and the sound of a printer started as background noise.

"Ah, Jack that's Jack… I mean alternate Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Samantha Carter," Sam A introduced and they heard a alternate Daniel coming in in the background. Then he appeared beside Jack-A and looked at them.

"Huh," Daniel-A said pensively but didn't comment on it when his Jack raised an eyebrow daring him to say something.

"Well, Colonel..." Colonel O'Neill started frowning at the weirdness of the situation, "Our General Hammond agreed to have a meeting with you and your General to chat about the chance to have an open exchange between realities"

"Huh, your alternate is more… wordy … than you Jack," Daniel-A commented and received two sets of glares from two different Jacks.

"Colonel, we have permission to share with you everything you might need. We can only hope the cooperation goes both ways." His alternate self added

"As a sign of good will, here I'm sending you the blueprints I talked about and we can reconvene in a couple hours to start the talk?" Alternate Sam inquired.

"Ah, Sam… dad is here," Jack-A mumbled to her and she beamed.

"I know… it's there too, that's why I asked to return, and Selmak was the one who suggested this so I don't see any issues with him participating of the meeting, whatcha think?"

"It's fine by me, we should get it to Hammond first though," They talked to each other and it seemed for Colonel and Doctor that as they did, they forgot they had an audience around. Alternate Daniel cleared his throat then, "Ah, yes… see you in 2 hours?" Colonel and Doctor nodded, before alternate Jack added: "Oki doki, we'll call"

The mirror got disconnected and they were left staring at the weird surface of it. The Colonel turned to look at the Doctor who was looking bewildered but she was actually looking at the blueprints she was given. He cleared his throat to gain her attention and she blushed.

"I'm sorry, but this is too damn fascinating," she commented in awe and he left her explain him what she was seeing, even though he only understood half of it. Then she shook her head and closed her eyes with a sweet smile on her face, "I've done it again, I'm sorry Colonel, but you really should stop me from the too technical explanation"

"Well, it sounded interesting… even if I," he stopped to avoid his mouth to say 'like listening to you'

"Don't understand half of what I'm saying, I know… you told me that before. And I also remember telling you that, even if it sounds interesting, you are welcomed to stop me" she said and somehow the image of her alternate self caressing his lips was brought forward in his mind. She looked at him as he didn't comment anything and found it strange, but as the day was already… she chose not to say anything except, "we should explain what happened to General Hammond"

She also chose not to comment on the blush that covered his cheeks when she voiced that and saved that information to question her other self later on.

Six hours later, two Carters and O'Neill were pulling out of Andrews and back towards San Diego. The meeting was a success, both Hammonds had agreed pretty quickly that it was for the best interest of both realities that the Carters women kept in touch. Surprisingly the President had signed a waiver for the Doctor to take the mirror around whenever she was moving in case of contact and with the condition that some safety procedures should be followed.

As a show of good will, Hammond had given to himself a copy of all the SG-1 files deemed important and not surprisingly, his alternate self had done the same, they both chuckled when the exchange came to be.

Sam relaxed in her seat and her father found funny that the Colonel had looked from one seat to another before shrugging and sit in the one in front of his daughter. Selmak had told him in the middle of the meeting that his alternate daughter and alternate Colonel looked very close, which was confirmed when alternate Janet interrupted the meeting because Jake O'Neill was sick. His concerned alternate daughter excused herself from the meeting and when he asked who Jake O'Neill was, he almost choked with his own saliva. Who would have thought that the man he asked to take care of his only daughter would be married to her on a not so different reality?

"Dad? Are you sure you don't know anything else about Sokar? Or how he could have contacted someone on Earth?" Sam asked loud enough to be heard over the sound of the engines and even if she was looking out of the window.

"Well, yes, Sammie…" she smiled at the way he called her, she used to hate it before, but having been so close to lose him, hearing it was a bless. "Although, if what Jack mentioned about a cloaked Tel'tak is true, then …"

"I know," she interrupted him with a sigh, "It was what I thought at the first meeting, I just really didn't want that to be the truth"

"Don't worry, honey, nothing will happen to you, we won't let them"

"Your father is right, we won't let them," Jack affirmed, she looked to one and then to the other and nodded before looking away again. The Colonel thought she looked a little disheartened, and he also thought he heard her say.

"It's not my safety what worries me"

He wanted to prod and get more information on what could possibly be more worrying that your own safety, then it rang a bell… her family. She was okay to be in danger herself but having them in the target too was too much, even for her. He opened his mouth to speak and she noticed, she smiled thankfully to him and quickly looked towards her father and back at him. He understood. She didn't want to talk about her own fears in front of her old man, who probably was debating his own fears about her safety, along with Selmak's fears about the secrets of the Tok'ra. He nodded shortly acknowledging her request.

"So, what one gifts to a thirteen years old girl?" He asked and they both turned around to look at the creator of the sound. Jacob Carter looked somewhere between amused and concerned.

"Oh, thirteen years old girls can be a handful. I remember having to retrieve mine from a tattoo parlor…. A little too late, if I might add," he said and the Doctor blushed brightly.

"Do tell!" Jack answered him before a horrified whine of "dad!" came out of the Doc. Jacob chuckled.

"Well, let's say that certain daughter of mine wanted a tattoo and she was stubborn enough to get it. I still don't know how on God's Earth she managed to convince the artist to make one, but I sure remember the almost heart attack I had when I saw it"

"if you don't stop there, I will put you on a plane back to Colorado and I will manage to convince uncle George to send you back to the Tok'ra," she menaced and made Jake gulp. After what he saw, the Colonel knew she was capable of fulfilling her word. Therefore, when he fell under her pointed glare he wisely chose to file the tattoo information until he could find out more without getting into too much trouble.

"Maybe I will get her a puppy," was Jack's final comment


	16. Puppy and dinner

**Heeeello…. Today I got a review! Asking for the next chapter.. and I must say I'm really sorry. I was supposed to post this on Sunday but I've tried to proofread it several times but my neuron wouldn't let me go past 3 paragraphs each time… so, if this chapter is lame… I really sorry -.-'**

 **And I apologized a lot in the previous paragraph… this chapter was supposed to have the dinner and the birthday party… but somehow, the sneaky characters took control of the chapter and … it became too long to have them both.. so next chapter will be "the party"… as usual, I babbled enough already**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 16 - Puppy and dinner**

"Explain me again, why I'm getting a puppy for my daughter?" She asked with a frown as they walked around trying to find the perfect dog for her daughter. Her heart broke a little every time she saw the pitiful expressions and the tiny spaces all of them had, and for a moment or two she wished to get them all.

"It's simple, Doc," he stopped and turned around, getting her attention completely, he too hated how they were all cramped in there, "every kid needs a dog"

" _Needs_ a dog?" she raised her eyebrow questioningly and he shrugged.

"Tell me you did have one while growing up," he sighed.

"I didn't actually. We never stayed long enough to have friends, and making a dog move around with us sounded like torturing the poor thing," she explained with a dismissive shrug, "but I guess I had my brother to do … stuff… until he was too cool to do it and I too nerd to care," she smiled, the one smile he hated on her.

"Is not bad being a nerd, you know? Look all being nerd gave to you…" he tried and she barely suppressed the snort that threatened to get out.

"Yeah, for sure…what I made out of it, is good and I'm not complaining. However, growing up being one on a time where being a nerd wasn't so cool as is becoming… wasn't so much fun." she countered. "So, did you have a dog?"

"I…" he blushed, he remembered having to save a nerd or two from a boring mob. So he decided not to dwell on her first comment and answer her question, "I actually didn't. We were too broke to be able to support having one," his eyes widened with the not intended confession, looking at his embarrassment she nodded in understanding, it was easy for her to comprehend it was due to the confession not for his childhood situation, he started to walk again and turned around waiting for her, "but we had one neighbor who was kind enough to share his pet with us." He shrugged, "Rocky, was called, we would take turns to walk him and I remember the first time I got to pick his poop, it was winter so picking the warm bag of poop got me some mixed feelings," he remembered and made her smile with his memory. "But growing up I always wanted one, then when I could afford one I joined and I couldn't put to poor thing through that. However, I do believe all kids should have one, they are good for them... for each other even," he said pointing to the lines of cages. It wasn't the first store they've visited and none of them looked better than this one.

"Alas… your kid doesn't have one," she added, before walking past him.

"That I believe every kid should have a puppy, doesn't mean my wife does," he pointed, quickly turning around and falling into step, she shook her head. "Sarah is not very fond of dogs, maybe one day I can get Charlie a rabbit or a rat"

"A rat?" she asked surprised

"Oh you know… those little fluffy ones," he explained showing her the size of the animal he was talking about, and he grinned when her face lightened in recognition

"A guinea pig, you mean?" She asked amused.

"Yup, at least would be something he can take care of, and give him some sense of responsibility," he pointed

"I see, so that's why I should get one for my daughter? To give her some sense of responsibility?" she frowned, it didn't sound like the best reasons in her book.

"Nope, but you said it yourself, she doesn't have a sibling to share things with. I believe it will brighten her days a little," he shrugged.

"You do know she's at the school most of the time, don't you?" She pointed.

Even with Jess developing friendship with Charlie, she still chose to stay at school most nights. Some days she knew Jess visited Charlie and Sarah but so far she always ended up returning to school, except for a weekend when she took the O'Neill's around the city and she ended up crashing in the condo with them while the Colonel and her were trapped on inter realities meetings.

"Yup, and having a puppy to come home too, would be a plus," he blushed, pointing one of the main reasons why he decided to push her to get the puppy for Jess. She opened her mouth to comment on it but the blush and the awkwardness coming out of him in waves made her just smile softly. Then she saw it, the perfect puppy.

The way her eyes glinted and her smile widened when she saw it was all the indication Jack needed to know that they had found the one. It was kind of surprising to find that the Doctor had chosen a puppy which didn't appear to have a pedigree, but the small pup was really cute with ears two sizes too big to his head and the raccoonish way of his spots. He called the man in charge who looked at them as if they lost their heads.

"Are you sure that's the one you want?" he asked a bit horrified by their choice, he had seen them coming down of a really fancy car, "we have a couple of pugs, golden doodles and retrievers, maybe a poodle?"

"Nope, this one is perfect," she smiled brightly, and the seller grimaced.

"Sir?" he looked at Jack with a worried expression, "are you sure that's the one? I mean, I know what your wife said … but really, he was meant to be taken to the shelter later today. One of our regular clients found him and brought it because didn't know what to do…" he trailed worriedly. They didn't comment on the way he assumed they were married, but Jack did saw her expression of utter disgust and sadness when the vendor mentioned the shelter.

"You heard her, she wants that one and she will be getting that one," Jack affirmed in his best drill sergeant tone. The vendor jumped and rushed to get the papers settled, making them both chuckle at his reaction. They made their way to the vendor who reluctantly gave them the pup, vaccinations instructions and the name of a couple vets before they happily walked away.

A full week had happened since the first encounter with Alternate Sam and tonight, Jess was going home for her birthday dinner in which Sam had intended to present her daughter with her gift. Frustratingly enough, since she set foot in San Diego, they had been going from one side of the city to another and she hadn't had the time until the very morning of Jess birthday to find something to get her. That she didn't know what to get her was a whole other issue.

Early that morning she had mentioned him she had to get her daughter 'something' but she didn't have any ideas of what to get her, not being too close with her daughter presented some difficulty on the list of interest which might become decent presents. Whatever Jess liked beyond 'internet and food' was a mystery for the Doctor. The Colonel, flinched remembering being in the same position before, those times Sarah had forbidden him from getting the pup and pointed him on the right track. The Doctor couldn't count on her husband for that…

"Why don't you get her a puppy? I bet she will love that!"

"Isn't that what you were going to get her?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not 'close family' I can give her something she doesn't like and it won't be a big issue"

The look she gave him after that was forever imprinted on his mind, it was one of bewildered awe, gratitude and he felt as if he had saved her life again, and that was how after their morning routine of running and breakfast, they ended up in several stores looking for the perfect puppy. The length of the search was noticeable in the look of relief on Philips face when he spotted the carefully placed bag.

"Where to, ma'am?" Philips asked, an amused grin on his face when he saw the small pup in his boss arms.

"Home," she smiled brightly.

"Huh, I thought you would want to pick Jess from school, Doctor"

"She has classes until 16hs today, Colonel. And I don't want to ruin the surprise!" she beamed

If he knew the puppy would make her smile that much, he would have suggested it earlier. He was pretty sure that when the dog was big enough it would be joining their morning run. The thought made him frown… 'if the dog was big enough before he left'. Not when… if. Or maybe, when but only her morning run.

"Something wrong, colonel?" she interrupted his train of thought concerned with the current expression on his face.

"NO!" he answered too quickly, making her raise an eyebrow and also attracting Philips attention. He cleared his throat, "I… it's just I don't remember if I told Sarah about getting a present for Jess," Phillips went back to concentrate on the streets, and he almost sighed. But the look in the Doctor face told him she didn't bought it.

The puppy licked her hand and she smiled, the day was going good as it was so she chose not to dwell on the whatever he wasn't comfortable sharing with her. Even with all those mementos they seemed to share out of the blue, and apparently they've never shared with anyone else, it wasn't like they were friends. They were two people forced to coexist due to a threat, nothing else. She frowned, but she knew perfectly how in situations of such kind, when you are forced to live together with someone in close quarters, something always came out of it, either they would end up chewing each other's heads or they would come out with a nice friendship, like the one she and Daniel shared. 'But you were never attracted to Daniel,' her mind supplied… and she chose not to listen to her mind either.

He saw the emotions run freely on her face, some easy to read, some complicated and dark. Something did bother her and he didn't know if it was related to what he answered or if it was just her going through her list of pending issues which he knew was long, complicated and no matter how hard she worked, it was also way overdue.

When Philips cleared his throat was when both of them noticed they were already back home. When he had started to call the mansion home, he wasn't sure. But he convinced himself it was a reflex act, like calling home a hotel when you were on route for a long time. He walked behind her and once inside she stopped brusquely making him almost trip. She looked at him, and he felt the need to gulp because he found she had this ability to reach straight to his soul with a single look, and he was really afraid of what she could find in there. But as the several times he was under such powerful gaze, she only smiled softly and blushed hard.

"Thank you, Jack," she whispered, the sentiment too strong to be voiced too loud, and he felt it to his core.

"No problem," he answered a bit later, when he was able to shake his brain for a few words. "you shouldn't thank me though"

"I should. I am. You are doing things for me that very few people would volunteer to do."

"Nah, you probably can find a horde of people who would do anything for you," he shrugged the comment off, and she tilted her head.

"You are really awful at taking compliments, Jack. Even when you deserve them. So, accept my thanks, I promise it won't kill you nor make you softer," she winked at him and turned around towards the elevator and disappeared in it before he could move.

"Huh… she called me Jack" he muttered for himself, but he didn't dare to analyze why such simple and common thing could make his brain melt, or his body tingle.

None of them saw Jacob Carter standing there watching the exchange with an amused frown.

It was later that night, when the annoying Doctor McKay was back into the house and dinner preparations where in full swing when she dared to come down again. She was nervous as hell, her stomach was in knots not quite sure if Jess would actually come home or just ditch her, them, for something else.

The overwhelming realization that she didn't know if her daughter liked dogs got to her when she tried to put the puppy on a box to give her and didn't help at all. Her dad had tried to calm her down stating that 'all Carters were dog lovers' but the fact that Rodney started to sneeze the second he smelled her present didn't help to ease her mind. So, to avoid the sneezes and whining coming from her husband, she took the pup to her room and returned to the living room where she started to pace.

"Dear God, must you do this act every year?" Rodney asked annoyed, she rolled her eyes at him.

"While I find deeply concerning that you don't care about the whereabouts of your daughter, I have to say I do."

"Whereabouts? She's thirteen! And she's my daughter and as such she's probably studying since she ought to prove everyone out there she's as bright as her father is. Although, with your genes there…" he grimaced, "I won't be that much surprised is she can't achieve the quality I had at her age," he finished taking a sip of his wine. Not caring about the fuming status of his wife, or the presence of the Colonel or the before intimidating presence of her father. For Rodney, her old man seemed to have gone crazier, keeping quiet and chuckling to himself out of nowhere.

Colonel and Doctor were about to give him some piece of their minds to answer his last comment when the lights of the SUV shone on the front yard and Jacob, who was standing looking outside announced out loud.

"They are here," he said trying not to sound so annoyed with his son-in-law and the way he was treating his baby girl. With those three words, Sam felt her stomach clench hard and she gulped. That was it, the moment when she would finally know for sure if her daughter was coming home for her birthday or if she ditched her for a party or for the O'Neills even. When three doors opened and closed she breathed. Then she frowned.

"I'm hoomeee," Jess screamed happily and loud from the front door and Sam hurried to meet her. She contained herself not to run of the sheer amount of happiness going through her body, but it was even harder to contain the tears which had piled in her eyes the moment she opened her arms and Jess had flown into them embracing her hardly. The moment was broken with an uncomfortable cough and Sam opened her eyes to find Sarah and Charlie O'Neill standing in the foyer. She moved back a little confused because she didn't remember Jess mentioning any guests. "Ah, I hope you don't mind… but they were so nice with me so far that I thought… why not?" Jess commented doubtfully, she knew her mom could be a control freak.

"Yes, yes… of course, it is your birthday… and you know Anita… there's food for a whole platoon," they exchanged bright smiles and then Sam turned to the O'Neill's. "Please, come on in. I didn't mean to be rude, I just wasn't expecting you. How have you been Mrs. O'Neill? Charlie?"

"I'm good Mrs. C." Charlie grinned, then he excused himself to follow Jess who had hurried him.

"Doctor… all facts considering I believe I'm doing okay; you know? For someone whose husband is spending more time in another house with another woman than at his own or with his wife." This time the cleared throat wasn't the one from the youngest O'Neill, but from the oldest. Sam didn't miss the glare exchanged between husband and wife, before Sarah smiled falsely at her, "But as I said, we are okay. Charlie is adapting to his school and his teachers said he has a better chance to get a scholarship with his current academics and their support if he is interested on getting one"

"That's good to hear, Mrs. O'Neill, please over here," she said directing her to the living room. When they entered Sam almost lost a tear or two at the sight of her daughter being held tightly on her grandad's embrace, it payed for all the distress that making the gate work brought to her life. She would never be grateful enough with the people who chose her father as the Tok'ra liaison. "Ah, Mrs. O'Neill, let me introduce you to my father… Jacob Car"

"General," Sarah interrupted her before she could finish

"..ter"

"Sarah, lovely to meet you here. Charlie just said hello to me, he has grown up taller since the last time I've seen him," her dad answered giving Jack's wife a quick kiss on the cheek, probably Selmak's influence. He turned to her with a shrug, "we've meet, you know at one of the bbq's George does. Jack is quite adept to make them too," the hurt expression on her face made both SGC members cringe and made Sarah O'Neill very happy.

"I've never met you there, Doctor." She grinned angelically, but to Sam it felt like the most malicious smile she had ever seen, and she had seen plenty of them.

"Well, I'm never around long enough. Nor I knew your husband until before he was appointed to join me," Sam smiled masking her feelings quickly, she knew it was too late to do it but she could lick her wounds in private later.

Thankfully Anita chose that moment to join them and let them know the dinner was ready. They moved their talk to the dining room which was lovely decorated with purple balloons. Jess squealed when she saw it and kissed Anita's cheek for the effort.

"OMG! This is so nice! Thanks"

"Wait to you see your mother's present, child. Then you will be dreaming," Anita told her as she embraced the thin kid. "Now, hush... go and sit, people are starving because you made them wait," she added good-naturedly and pushed Jess towards the table. Seconds later, Anita was commandeering a multitude of employees to serve covered dishes to each of the people at the table, with a gesture the cover was raised and Jess exploded in a grin. Followed by a hearty laugh from her grandfather, which became highly contagious for all except for her father.

"Really? Pizza?" Rodney huffed disgusted.

"It's my favorite Dad!" she answered grinning, "and it's a Carter's tradition"

"But you are a Mckay," Rodney whined.

"She might be, but she's a Carter too," Jacob pointed and with a smirk raised a piece of his pizza out of the plate, "Cheers!"

They all happily followed the oldest person in the table, well, except Rodney who did so begrudgingly, and soon the conversation around the table centered on the girl and how she had spent her birthday at school, and Charlie telling them how they had managed to give her an extra week to get ready for a test because of her birthday. They all laughed at the pleading looks the made to show them how they had actually managed such feat, Sam told them that she too had done that and no one believed her, she simply did a mischievous smile and told them to ask Daniel the next day. At the mention of Daniel, Jess smiled even brighter. She loved her honorary uncle.

"What time are they getting here?"  
"It depends on how long does it take him to get out of his book to pack," Jack pointed and made both Carter girls grin.

"Your grandmother and your real aunt are getting here tomorrow at noon," Rodney pointed boringly. "I hope you look your best Jessica"

"Yes, father"

"Wait, what? I remember calling you over this and you never confirmed if they were coming or not."

"Well, I'm confirming it now." He pointed with a shrug and they all turned to look at the normally polite Doctor after a curse word or two escaped her. "What to do you mean with that?"

"Easy, Rodney…" she hissed, "that's two rooms that we don't have because people from the SGC are coming"

"Oh, well they are only here for security… you will find them a place to sleep. I'm pretty sure they are all used to sleeping bags anyways"

As two sets of comforting hands reached for her knees, she inhaled deeply. She could manage the mess Rodney had created with the rooms later or in the morning before the guests arrived, and she shouldn't lose it so easily in front of her daughter. She opened her eyes and found three sets of worried eyes, she smiled to all of them and both hands returned to their rightful places. She missed one of them the moment its heat left her knee with a soft caress.

"So, if pizza is for dinner… should I worry about dessert?" She joked with Jess and the girl laughed. It was pretty obvious all the guests were trying hard to forget the little scene and enjoy what was left of the previous fun environment.

Brownies with ice cream were served later, followed by a nice and bright purple cake. Sam smiled to herself noticing she still knew her daughter somewhat, or at least she still knew her favorite color. Then, when they were too full to breath, they slowly moved their bodies to the living room to open the presents and drink some tea.

Rodney walked to her daughter first and hugged her awkwardly giving her a quick peck on the cheek and an uncomfortable happy birthday. Then, he gave her an envelope with a blank check. Sam groaned.

"It's blank, so you can fill it up when you find what you want," he pointed and excused himself for the night. He knew the dog would be brought down soon and he didn't want to stay for the allergies nor the show Sam would likely make when his daughter told her how much she hated dogs.

Not impressed by Mckay's actions, and to try and avoid the unhappy face of the birthday girl, Jack pushed Charlie towards Jess and he presented her a notebook with a drawing case on his family behalf, and she beamed at him. Jess knew he told them about her passion for drawing, since he found her doodling most of the time, and of course, she also knew the other person who knew about it, a.k.a her mother, wouldn't tell a soul.

Then, Jacob walked to her and presented her a weirdly wrapped … box…, he placed it on the table closer to her and she came looking at it in awe, she touched the package and for her it seemed like some sort of leather, but she was pretty sure she never touched one so soft. She pulled the ribbon and the box fell apart on a swift movement and she was presented with an also weird looking jewelry box. She looked at her grandpa and he nodded encouragingly. So she opened the lid, inside, there was a hard filigree necklace, open in the front looking like two waves apart of each other joined at the middle by the most beautiful gem she ever saw.

"It's an amethyst?" She asked amazed her finger grazing the rock to afraid to touch it. She looked at her grandfather with hope and he knew he would see some disappointment when he shook his head no. "Oh"

"It's a purple diamond," he smiled and her eyes widened.

"A diamond?"

"Yup…I was quite lucky to find it"

"Dad… that's too much"

"Sammie…" he said on a half lovingly half warning tone, "anything worth of her having that look on her… isn't too much"

Sam only nodded because she knew if she tried to talk a couple of tears would find their way out and she was pretty out of character the whole night out of her mixed emotions. When the room turned to look at her, she blushed.

"What?" she asked confused.

"It's your turn…" Jack pointed to the presents and saw the look of understanding settling on her face.

"Oh! Let me go for it," She disappeared out of the room and the crowd used that time to take a closer look to the necklace.

"Uhm…" she cleared her throat coming back to the room and hoped the little pup didn't start to bark and ruin the whole thing. "I… Happy birthday Jess," of course the moment she lowered the box to the floor the lid came off as the pup tried to get out of it. The way Jess squealed and then throw herself at her mother's embrace finally managed to put Sam at ease. Jess loved the pup and Sam felt what her father just did when was able to put that look on her daughter's face.

Her dad was right, anything worth of her having that look wasn't too much.

Later that night, when the arrangements for a sleep place for Charlie was done, and the O'Neill couple retired to the Colonel's room, and both Jess and Charlie where up in Jess's room playing with Rocket Raccoon, yes, that's the name she chose for the dog. Only Sam and Jacob remained.

"I'm surprised she didn't told me I was trying to get her to stay home and that's why I bought her a dog," Sam confessed in the now dark room.

"She knows you love her,"

"I sure hope so, dad… sometimes I'm not too sure she does it"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sammie. You made your choice, but you can still change some consequences of it"

"Can I? Should I?" she wondered.

"Yes, you can. You saw your other self, she was pretty happy with how her life turned out"

"Yeah, she just isn't married into her biggest mistake"

"You know marriages can be broken, don't you?"

"And what would I say to Jess?"

"Mommy screwed up because she was a child herself when she was forced to choose, and granddad was the pigheaded ass forcing her to do so, or you can rephrase that on a pg-13 version" he joked making her chuckle. "Seriously, Sam, I'm pretty sure she would understand your reasons if you talk to her. She's part you and she's a smart kid. And you know what every kid wants?"

"A dog?"

"To be happy, and sometimes… when your parents pretend to be together just for the kids, it can make more harm than good."

"Is that coming from you or from Selmak?"

"A little bit of both really, she's a smart gal too. And she saw many kids lives being destroyed by toxic relationships. Your kid, she's lovely, caring, smart... she's just like you, before we started our bad relationship when your mother passed away. Don't let her run away from you, we don't know if you will have the luck I had," he said pointing his neck, to show he was talking about Selmak.

"Thanks dad," she gave him a watery smile. "About the necklace… are you sure you can aff…" she started but it was silenced with a finger over her lips.

"I have to confess something," he grinned guiltily, "it's not from here, on a _trip_ I found it on a place where they are pretty common, I exchanged it for a couple of shoelaces"

"Really?"

"Yup, they have them in purple, blue and yellow… I was considering smuggling a few to here where they would be worth thousands, but then I remembered I have to present everything I bring to be analyzed. Can you imagine the faces of the nerd squad if suddenly I appear with a bunch of diamonds and try to smuggle them into Earth?" they chuckled until they reached his room.

"Good night, dad… I'm really happy you are here and that you had found Selmak. Thank you Selmak." She whispered the last part to his ear making him grin. Then she gave him a peck on the cheek and turned around to check Jess.


	17. The Party

:O I made it! I finished it fast enough not to let you hang in there for too long! Woohoo! Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is not exactly what you were expecting for this chapter… but, here we go again!

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 17 – The party**

Sam woke up with something wet and cold on her cheek, she opened one eye and found the bright eyes of Rocket Raccoon and it took her some minutes to understand that the cold and wet came from his tongue.

"Yuck", she sat fast and she heard a giggle. She looked to the other side of her bed and found her daughter trying hard to keep her giggles at bay but failing miserably, she glared playfully at her making Jess laugh even harder. Then Sam noticed the black rings under her daughter's eyes. "You slept late"

The smile froze on Jess face, and her expression changed to a guilty one. Then she nodded a couple of times.

"Rocket Raccoon kept whining whenever I put him down, and I was afraid he would pee on my bed," she explained with a shrug. Sam inhaled deeply

"What time is it?" she asked scratching her face tiredly.

"Four…ish?"

"Okay, what if you sleep, for a while and I take this one with me?"

"Would you?"

"Yup, you need to sleep." She said, pushing her daughter backwards. Jess complied without much effort.

"Mom?" she asked when Sam finished tucking her in.

"Yes?"

"Can I not go to school today?" she asked, Sam's eyes widened. That would be a first!

"Sure… I'll call them after feeding this pup and my run"

"Thanks"

Sam stood up and looked at the puppy in her arms and the daughter in her bed and smiled at the small miracles that started her day. She got dressed for her run and walked toward the kitchen with the pup in her hands.

She opened the door and crocked her head when she saw the now familiar form sitting at the kitchen bar. Rocket barked and Sam decided to let him go.

"Morning," she said to everyone, making the Colonel turn to watch her.

"Morning," he answered tiredly. "You are up already, Doc?"

"Someone was hungry, and the owner was dead on her feet" she pointed to the dog, then she walked to where they left the dog food they got when they bought the puppy.

"He said you shouldn't give him more than a cup in the mornings," the Colonel pointed and she smiled at him with a nod. "So, I guess we run early?"

"That would be great, maybe I manage to wake up before I trip on my feet," she said scrubbing her face again.

"Why are you up so early today, Colonel?" she asked as they walked toward the front door, to start their stretching.

"Charlie," he sighed, "he came to the room around 3, and was having issues sleeping. Sarah was out thanks to the wine, he managed to fall asleep but he was kicking around… and I didn't want him to wake her up and … here I am." He looked at her sideways, "how about you, you look tired" she laughed.

"Really, after the week we had you are now telling me I look tired?" she smiled, "Actually, I stayed up late talking with my father and then my dumb brain wouldn't shut up about how to fix the mess Rodney managed to create on my plans in a few seconds" He did a noncommittal sound, "Anyhow…. I guess, we both have to call to the school to let them know they won't be going?"

"Jess is not going?" He asked surprised, and Sam couldn't help but beam at him.

"Nope, she asked to stay home, before getting more comfortable on my bed and fall asleep"

"Really?" she nodded the smile never left her face, "Huh, I never thought the dog would work that quick," after that they had to shut up because the pace was difficult to keep and talk. "So… did you got a solution for it?" He asked as they walked slowly to the house.

"Huh?"

"For the guests thing?"

"Ah, yeah... Daniel knows a place which can take him, my father and Hammond. So, Janet and Cass can both stay here." She shrugged as she untied her shoelaces.

"Daniel knows a place here?"

"Ah, yeah…" she said blushing slightly, "I own a house in Encinitas, Rodney doesn't know about that one. Not like he could do anything with it. It's just… better if he still doesn't know about it"

"Isn't technically his too? You are married…"

"We have a pre nup…" she dismissed.

"Huh… I wouldn't have pegged you as that type." She raised an eyebrow.

"I married young but I wasn't dumb, I had to protect my interests and those of my daughter."

"You know… I envy you sometimes, you can have everything anyone out there wants, or if you don't… you can buy it"

"People often believe that happiness comes from material things, and they are wrong, it doesn't." She counteracted. "Let's take you for an instance, Colonel, you don't have everything anyone out there might want, but you are happy, and it's not because of the things, but because of your family," he cringed at the mention of his family. Most people didn't know his marriage was falling apart for ages now and the only thing gluing them together was 5 years away to start his own live. "You say you envy me, while I, envy you, Colonel…" he snorted.

"What's there to envy?" he questioned on a self-deprecating tone.

"Well, I pointed out yesterday some of your qualities and you didn't take it so well, however, I can add that you are also loyal, strong headed if not stubborn, but moreover you are human. You can establish close relationships with many; while I, can only have friendlier relationships with my personnel whom never will be ready to jump the divide they themselves put between us. Your wife… she must be the most jealous person I've ever meet, but she loves you, dearly. And you have met my husband. And your son, he adores you… and you know my history with Jess"

"Hey, don't put that over yourself, she will come around… she's starting to already" he pointed.

"Yeah, because the dog kept her awake," she reminded him, "don't worry I'm not going to fight depression any time soon," she finished confidently with a reassuring smiled.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I am…" They stood outside for a while, shoeless and silent next to the bench outside the back door, the sun was starting to glow and the skies were starting to change colors, it was beautiful, and made her talk softly, "when I was thirteen, my mother passed away," he opened his mouth to speak but she stopped him raising her hand, knowing that if he said something she wouldn't dare to keep going, "I was devastated, she was my everything… and I hated my father for years for what he didn't do," Jack frowned, "he was supposed to pick her but he didn't made it on time, she wasn't the most patient of them all and she took a cab home… the cab was on an accident and she died instantly," she clarified taking a deep breath, it might had occurred a long while ago, but the memory of that day, still had power over her and managed to hurt her a little. He saw the faltering expression and pressed his hand in support, "I moved to the Hammonds house for a while," she smiled.

"Hammond as in … General Hammond?" She nodded, "you are kidding, right?'

"Nope," she shook her head, "he's my godfather… at that time, my dad had no idea what to do with me, not that I was extremely supporting or sympathetic. I couldn't talk with him, none of us would talk at all," Jack raised an eyebrow trying to mask his shock, "my brother went to live with Grandma, but the high school there wasn't very good nor had a decent advanced programs which I needed. Anyway, he was getting deployed to God only knows where and couldn't take us either. So with my options, I chose to file an emancipation… thinking about it now, I know it was very messed up, and there were thousands of best solutions, but we were too brokenhearted to think on one that could accommodate us all. Nevertheless, I ended at the Hammonds, and I met there the mother of his wife, she was a sweet woman. She helped me to go on before passing away, she had lost the love of her life and you wouldn't ever see her sad or angry, she enjoyed every single moment until her last breath. She taught me back then the most valuable lesson."

"I'm sorry," he said pressing her hand slightly in comfort. She smiled.

"She was old and it was expected, but her lesson is probably why you can say you envy me"

"I told you, I envy you because you have everything"

"Are you really that shallow?" she asked pointing with a snort, knowing quite well he was more deep than he let anyone know. He shook his head no, "Or do you really see me as that materialistic?"

"No. Okay, let's take money out of the thing, you still look happy 24/7. I can count in one hand the moments I've see you sad or angry, and when I did, it didn't last long until you were smiling again. It's like it doesn't matter what happened, no one can bring you down or take your happiness away"

"Well, that was the lesson actually, 'No one can take your happiness, unless you allow them to'. I learned that, loud and clear. I'm happy with the small things, I'm grateful for the small things…I empower myself with the memories of those things. Each embrace of my daughter, each smile, the warmth of the sun, the eureka moments, everything brings its own little moment of happiness. The bad things… well, I deal with them as they come, they can bring me down, I can fall apart completely too, I'm human. But even when it does happen, I don't allow them to lead my life for me, that's why I can always smile sincerely, and not because of what I have."

"Then, now I envy you … even more," he said opening the door for them to go in. She smiled at him, and he smiled gratefully back, and whispered as she passed, "someday, maybe I will tell you why…"

She turned around stunned by a mix of his voice in her ear and the implications of the words. Then she thought it might be something different but he was already starting to walk away. She stopped him grabbing him by the wrist and he turned around to watch her the expression a combination of curiosity to know why she stopped him and fear that it was for him to explain his own words.

"You are never as broken as you think you are, Jack. Sure, we all might have some scars or bad memories, or both… but then again, maybe we all do, maybe… only the heroes have them."

He nodded, he couldn't find words to answer her, nor to question her. He once more was struck by how much and how easily she could see the deepness of his soul and moreover, how easily she could relate. He opened his mouth to try and say something… when a clap brought them both to the reality.

"Here you are!" Jacob Carter smiled, as he noticed how the sounds of the house being getting ready for the party on the next day just got to them and their expressions changed accordingly. Sam grinned guiltily, "I've been looking for you, apparently Daniel was so excited for the party that he was pushing everyone to the edge and they are getting here in two hours, and someone from the catering called, they said something about bad rugula or rucola, rucoli.. or something sounding very similar to that… and they needed to know if you prefer baby spinach, watercress or dandelions? I have no idea why someone would want to eat dandelions… but those are your options, kiddo," she sighed.

"The perks of being a party organizer, I guess… however, tough decisions need a clean mind."

"Shouldn't be clear mind?"

"Oh yeah, but we were running," she beamed, and Jacob covered his nose with his fingers as if he smelled something really bad, making his daughter laugh. It was a while later when Sam joined the men at the breakfast room, a confused expression in her face. "Dad, are you sure the caterer called for me?"

"Yeah, Samantha Carter, they had an issue for the order for Jessica McKay's birthday party, why?"

"Well, I called and they affirm they haven't called me nor they have issues with the order" She looked to both of them, now both had similar expressions.

"I'll go through the files again, Doc. It probably was a mistake but I will call the team for them to make a secondary analysis of the caterer"

"Thanks"

Two hours later an alarm clock rang loud bringing the Colonel out of his reading, and the Doctor out of her latest experiment. They both stood and stretched one moaned, one groaned. Both blushed. And both did a very good job of pretending. "Well, I …" both started and they grinned, it happened so often that they both started a conversation at the same time that a single nod was all they needed to move on, and they had become so good at reading each other that it was easy to know which one had the most urgent issue.

"I didn't found anything on the caterer, however, both NID and FBI are halfway through a new investigation. A more detailed one including what could have got wrong in the three weeks since they got contacted," the Colonel finished and the Doc nodded.

"Well, I need to wake Jess up, or she will kill me if Daniel sees her in her pj's, and speaking of him, do you mind calling to the hangar to know more about the flight status?" Not that long after that exchange they were welcoming the crowd to the house. Sam explained the change of housing and they shrugged it off as if was not important. Then at midday her in-laws arrived and since that point on, the people who remained at the house, tried very hard to keep her away from them after Anita did a marvelous job explaining to them how insufferable the oldest of the women was, and how even if Rodney's sister was kind, she wasn't one to oppose her mother or stop her.

At some point of the day, with the help of the Colonel, the Doctor managed to round up every SGC member and they moved to the house they were supposed to use for the weekend. There, they explained their plan of action and how they were going to be in the background not gaining attention to themselves while being 100% attentive of any weird situation it might arise.

The plan was going as accorded, all of them completed the journey to the house early the next morning and did a perimeter check as well as a people check, making sure that every one that was on their list of hired people had the proper documentation to prove it.

The guests started to arrive around 18hs, the sun was setting and there was a warm breeze. Jess looked beautiful in her gown and Daniel had elbowed Jack in the ribs when Sam finally came out in her evening attire. She called Jess over for a couple pictures and Rodney was called over not long after and then, the party was in full swing. The Colonel followed the Doctor mostly with his eyes trying not to call attention over himself, and he hoped it didn't look like he was staring at her.

Yes, she looked incredibly beautiful in her tight black gown, and her eyes shimmered delightfully with the bewitching touches of makeup she used to bring them out. Her eyes made contact with his as she moved along with General Hammond on the dance floor, he knew she was trying to tell him something but with the dizzying way they were moving around and how far away he was, it was difficult for him to understand her message. He heard a couple steps of someone approaching him and he covered his ribs half expecting Daniel to elbow him again for drooling over the Doctor.

"I'm not drooling, I'm carefully watching," he commented hoping to stop his friend's action. Then, risking losing contact with the Doctor, he turned his face to be rewarded by the confused expression of Teal'c.

"Indeed you are watching and not drooling," he affirmed with a nod, and something told Jack the alien man was being ironic. "However, Colonel O'Neill, I must warn you that I feel something … off," he added not quite convinced on the use of such word to describe the tingling sensation of naquadah, thus he had agreed to use it due to the presence of too many unknowing Tau'ri

"Cass is over there, the Doc's there," he pointed discreetly, and Teal'c bowed.

"They are, alas they off feeling comes from different…" Teal'c didn't managed to complete his sentence before Jack was moving towards the dance floor and looking frantically for the Doctor, his purpose wasn't foreign to his wife, who frowned when she saw him approach the Doctor for a dance.

"May I have this dance?" he interrupted Hammond and the General nodded, relenting his partner to the younger man hands. "Are you feeling off?" he asked concerned loud enough for the General to overhear it and walk toward Teal'c. The Doctor, however, looked at the Colonel and he knew it before she could even voice it. "Where?"

"I can't pinpoint it, Colonel, I just know they are several of them, I guess we should have come up with a plan of how to extract me and capture them, without ruining my daughter's party." She added sadly

"Oh, we did, Doctor… we are good as that," he winked at her. Sarah saw in horror how General Hammond and Jack exchanged positions at the dance floor, then she saw with disgust how they came closer and moved as if they were dancing forever when she was pretty sure that was their first time dancing, mostly because she know how much Jack despised doing it … and then, she saw in panic how they moved out of the dance floor. She was about to walk and make him a scene, when she saw the people from SGC, moving towards them. Sarah figured something had gone wrong and hoped this time around they managed to take the darn Doctor so she wouldn't keep her apart of Jack any longer.

The group walked out of sight and towards the inside of the house, they aimed for her lab, a place where they would have a nice view of the grounds without being exposed. Once there, the Colonel contacted the security teams that were walking around the property limits.

"Nothing from here, Sir, all the way from door A to B are covered and the beach is clear."

"All the guest had been confirmed, none of them looked particularly suspicious."

"All personnel in the right side of the woods is accounted for, and everything is clear."

"Sir… we are missing two people on the left side."

"Andrews, tell me more"

"Johnson and Martinez failed to report, sir, we are moving towards their direction. Other than that, there hasn't been anything out of the ordinary"

"Darn. I think we know where they entered from." Jack sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "As is told you before we extracted you from the party, Doc. We have a plan that can prevent it from being ruined, however, if something went wrong it will be highly risky for you"

"Colonel," Hammond warned and Jacob glared

"As you can guess they don't agree with that particular way. However, I'm believe you will prefer that way out over ruining your daughter's party."

"Tell me"

"Well, they are after you, so if we obviously take you towards an area of the woods they will follow. I'm pretty sure they know you are under our protection, but I'm also willing to bet they will think they have all of us accounted for, since the right side had less people and they chose to enter from it, however, if they follow, we can move half of them and we can surround them without risking security on the other sites," she processed what he told her for a few moments.

"Who will extract me?"

"I will, to play pretend and be safe if they don't follow, there's a car hidden over on the other side. If I was you, I would get changed in something less …" he gestured the gown, "you know something in which you can fully move"

"Okay, give me 5, I'll get rid of the gown and get some running clothes on" she moved towards the door.

"Sam," he dad called

"Dad… you saw her today; you saw her face. I can't let them ruin her day" she whispered

"I was only going to say Good luck," he smiled what he hoped looked like a reassuring one. "I'll stay behind, I'm pretty sure they are sensing me as much as we are sensing them. So I will be out of the way and taking care they don't move towards Jess"

"Teal'c remains behind too. For the same reasons," Daniel pointed.

"Okay…then all I need is some less formal clothes." She pointed with finality as she finished getting out of the lab, and closing the door behind her before walking the meters distancing her from her changing room. She returned not too long later, on a weird combination of running clothes, gala makeup and hair, and an overconfidence that whatever she was going to do was going to work. The last part was all that the Colonel really needed from her.

"Let's do this," nods were exchanged and soon, the ''forces" were subtly going back to where they came from, while Doctor and Colonel were pretty obviously heading for an 'escape route. They moved slowly, the way she walked as if she was trained for missions and she had done them million times before, surprised the Colonel.

"You are too … stealthy," he commented out of the blue and she blushed… and tried that her former training didn't feel so obvious to him. Or to anyone out there searching for her.

"There's a clearing over there, then we have to go through there and we will reach a place from where we can jump the wall" she said loud. That was their supposed escape route and they planned to use it if whoever was trying to get her didn't show up soon. And then she felt them, around them. "Who's there?" she asked loud

"Shh…" he scolded at her, as if they didn't plan for her to be chatty and loud and calling attention to herself. He approached her from behind and pulled her against his body, while one hand covered her mouth. They both did their best to ignore the electricity roaming their bodies, and blamed it to the situation. Although both had been in worse and never felt something like that before. "If you keep talking we won't make it to the wall alone," he whispered loud enough to be comprehensible from away. She nodded, "I'm going to let you go, but you have to stay silent", he took his hand off of her mouth and grabbed her hand, pulling her on the direction she pointed before.

It wasn't even half surprising when a skinny looking guy jumped in front of them, not even when his eyes glowed. "Jaffa, kree," he called with a smirk.

"You know? I really need to learn what the hell kree means"

"It means yoo-hoo," she provided with a smile, "well, among other things that I'm pretty sure Daniel will love to explain to you. I know it took him almost 20 minutes to finish when I asked."

"I'll stay with yoo-hoo," he decided, both completely ignoring the obvious goa'ulded guy, and the crew of people that surrounded them. "I don't think I will survive to 20 minutes for one word"

"Well, it was an interesting explanation, really… Daniel is pretty good at…"

"Shut up!" the goa'uld screamed at them, the called Jaffas where around 8. A mix of humans and jaffas really, which made them look weird.

"Huh, tough crowd," The Colonel shrugged and the Doctor snorted, "so, bright eyes, who the hell are you?"

"I'm your doom"

"You think Daniel will know anything about Yourdrum?"

"I'm YOUR DOOM," The goa'uld tried again.

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"Silence!" he shouted again, this time one of the lanky looking humans got him in the knee making him kneel.

"Why always the knee? Just ask nicely and I might do it"

"I don't really think we are in position to complain, Colonel,"

"They've said the woman was smart, now I can see why" the goa'uld smirked.

"Why thank you, how did you plan to get us out of here anyway?" she asked, "that's something I can't see you doing," she rubbed wrongly his ego, hard enough to make him growl.

"You are trapped, now it's just getting you to the rings and to another planet with a Chapa'ai"

"cool, so you have rings here? A tel'tak maybe?"

"You think we are stupid? Coming here with a tel'tak would raise too much attention, no, no. we had to do it on a dumb human way, we came in using the people you willingly hired."

"The caterer," Sam sighed, making him smile gloating.

"We used them as a diversion, and of course, I just came in thought your main door which was feebly taking care of," That was when Sam recognized the guy as the oldest brother of one of Jess classmates.

"Well, I have to say yourdrum… the gate might be feebly guarded, but she isn't"

"Are you saying that you can manage to overcome all my guards? I want to see you doing it"

"Oh, not me… them" he said, the teams before hidden, emerged from several places successfully surrounding the group and quickly worked to put them under control. Though the secondary access a couple of unmarked vans entered the house and the attackers were pulled in, while Doctor and Colonel supervised the actions.

"You know? I didn't need to get changed for a stroll in the woods"

"Oh well, I thought there would be more action, even a kick or two. Maybe some running, but I guess we will have to be content with our morning routine and the fact that no one knows what the hell just happened in your property."

"What are we going to do about the kid, he should be free"

"We'll talk with your dad, maybe they have a way to extract him, or maybe you can get to Cimmeria and see if you can make the Hammer work."

"I can do that, I hope."

"What you should be doing, is getting ready again, Sam… Jeannie has been asking lots of questions," Jacob Carter joined them. She smiled at her father and walked towards the house. Jack followed her close behind, Jacob joined him outside her room. "You do realize that both Teal'c and I can feel them and we both walked around the house to search for any person who might compromise her safety, don't you?"  
"You made her my responsibility, I'm just making sure I'm up to the whatever thing you saw in me"

"You are a good man, Jack… now more than ever, I know you will do anything to keep her safe…" he trailed, "or to make her happy," he whispered to himself as he walked away.

Yes, Jacob Carter saw them, but knew there were many things in their reality which complicated that statement, and after seeing the results of pushing his daughter too far, he vowed to himself to never be the one pushing another well willing human being to that position.

The door opened again and Sam walked out, a bright smile in place, her eyes now twinkling with happiness. Her appearance made him shook his expression and change it for another less worried one

"Thank you, Colonel," she told him looking straight at him and he nodded in response. In his mind, Jacob Carter's whispered words were creating havoc. In his soul, he knew them to be truth.


	18. Plans

Hello people! Sorry for keep you waiting! At least it wasn't as bad as a month! Anyway, I have the next part also half written, now I'm missing the bring it together which often tends to be way more complicated to write. Keep your fingers crossed and I might be able to bring it together for you in a week. Anyhow!

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 18 - Plans**

"I thought I might find you together," Sarah sneered at the Doctor and her husband, once they were on the main floor again, "had fun together? Huh? In your daughter's party? With you husband and his family below? Huh? And you Jack? With your family in the same house?" She vomited words and questions unable to stop herself from doing it. She never saw how both clenched their jaws, but she stopped when Jack grabbed her in his arms and lead the way to the library, room that was far enough from the party that any scream from his wife would not be heard from the other side of the house.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he shouted the moment Sam closed the door behind her and he dropped Sarah back to her own feet again, and took a couple of steps away from her.

"Ha, you are asking me? Really?" She inquired again, pressing her index finger right in the middle of his chest. "Like you don't know that you two have been missing from the party for an hour and half! You think I'm an idiot? That I wouldn't noticed?" she continued in disbelief, she turned towards the Doctor and marched up to her, "Maybe your husband doesn't know, maybe he has faith in you and doesn't think you capable of betraying him," she whispered, before taking a step back, "but I know you! I know everything there's to know about your kind!" she shouted in Sam's face. "And you know me, Jack... you knew I would notice you went missing, you knew I would notice she went missing...then why? Why doing it? Because there's a party in the back and I know Jess and she doesn't deserve her party being messed up, so I wouldn't make a scene? Is that why?" she cried

"Mrs. O'Neill," Sam spoke firmly, "I have no idea what you think had gone out, what did happen was that a threatening situation was confirmed, I was extracted out of the house until the responsible were caught."

"Yeah, sure... and I still suck my thumb to sleep"

"Maybe you do, Ma'am… because that's exactly what happened. I can show you evidence of it, over there," she completed pointing to a book covered wall, she pulled the book case open, only to reveal that it was a fake library, a painting of sorts, covering a flat tv screen. She took a remote control and changed something, and soon they were watching what looked like a computer screen. Sam's hand moved and a mouse appeared on screen, giving away that she had found a mouse somewhere over the mantle of sorts that housed the screen.

Soon, they were offered views of the whole ground, and the different cameras that existed through it. She rewinds the recordings to show an hour before, probing to Sarah O'Neill what exactly had happened on the woods.

"Okay, I half believe you… still there are parts of your history missing. You entered the house in a dress and left in running clothes, and now you are in a dress again."

"I got changed," Sam pointed.

"When?" she asked with a raised eyebrow

"Before going out... I can show you the front door and lobby cameras if you wish, but you still would see me doing exactly the same you described. There are no cameras in my room or in any room. It would be too intrusive." She affirmed calmly, she learned something a long time ago, roughly thirteen years ago, and that was that people who judged others, always did based on their own paradigms and standards. 'You will love in others what you love in yourself, and you will hate in others what you hate of yourself', someone told her once. However, she knew that even if the idea of saying that out loud was wandering her mind, she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't put herself in such position, someday she knew, whatever happened that made Sarah O'Neill judge them as capable of such actions, would come to the light. She only hoped that the result wouldn't hurt Charlie and Jack too bad. "Sadly, I'm sure that whatever proof I can show you, I won't be enough to ease your mind. Therefore, I will ask you that scream at me all you want now, so we can all go back to the party and not ruin it for my daughter that nothing has to do with the current situation but being birthed by me"

"I won't give you the chance to say I'm the evil one, Samantha. We are here for your own doing, you can't blame me," Sarah hissed, Sam did nothing not even clench her jaw, she already accepted the fact that no matter what, she would always be guilty of something on the other woman's eyes. "You have nothing to say? Huh? So you accept it then? What about you Jack? Are you ready to lie to me and tell me that you didn't do anything? That she went from one set of clothes to another and you have nothing to do with it?"

"I can't. I asked her to get changed." He hissed, "I thought we might need to run and the gown she was wearing didn't seem fitting for such situation. Now, stop it, Sarah. The only thing you are doing now, is making the whole thing bigger than it was"

"Now is my fault!" she screamed

"No! That's not what I said," Jack warned.

"I should go and shout it out there and I'm pretty sure you have them all biased thinking you are so good and nice," she looked at Sam then at Jack, "or brave and loyal in your case"

"Don't you dare to set a foot out there and make a scene, Sarah" He growled, he looked menacing, and Sarah finally understood why they kept calling him every time, she had never seen that face before in anyone she knew, then she turned around to attack the woman who was causing the whole mess in her mind, and she was confronted with the same menacing look and somehow she looked as terrifying as her own husband did… so she recoiled. Sam walked towards Sarah, forcing her to the end of the room, and then she entered Sarah's personal space.

"I'm going to pretend none of this happened, Mrs. O'Neill," she whispered in a very menacing tone, her eyes shining dangerously, "however, I feel in the need to warn you, my patience also has limits," Sam hissed, turning around and escaping the room. Sarah turned around, tears in her eyes all soft and caring.

"Jack, please… you have to understand…" she pleaded but Jack brushed past her. "Please Honey, you know all of this happens because I love you," she added grabbing him from his arm.

"If you loved me as much as you say you do, if you cared about me, then you would have known I care for you, and I love you. You would have continued your treatment and you haven't," he told her over his shoulder.

"I promise I will back to it!" she whined. He turned around to asses her, then nodded briefly.

"Then we still might have a chance, Sarah. I love you, but even love has its limits when it comes to survival. " he finished closing the door behind him

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

He heard her scream from the other side, he leaned against the door and wondered exactly the same. He knew he used to be able to put everything she did and say somewhere with his other memories that he didn't want affecting his life, but later on, it had become increasingly hard to compartmentalize them. He hoped it didn't have to do with the fact that he had found someone that actually understood him and with whom he could talk without feeling that would be breaking their dreamed world in thousands of little pieces.

He shook his head and started to walk. Then he sighed as he was about to step outside, and he saw his son. And he knew, he was probably the key on where he had changed so much to be a different man altogether. He understood he was different after every single mission, after every single life he took. However, the almost losing Charlie when he wasn't there definitively had made more than a small breach.

It seemed like a blink of an eye, as she raised her head from her computer and looked outside. If she was home, it probably wouldn't be so obvious. But in her Colorado house, which was high enough in the mountains that snow made a thick carpet in the hours since they got there early that morning was so obvious as night and day in San Diego. She sighed in a mix of joy and tiredness, making the Colonel who was sitting a couple of meters away, lookup.

"I can't believe it's November already," he mumbled watching the skyline, and the "who would have thought that even when we caught a bunch of people, none of them could pinpoint who the hell is behind the Earth side of the attempts of abduct you," he commented disheartened.

"Are you tired of me already Colonel?" she asked jokingly.

"Not at all, Doc. But I do believe we are working way too slow in solving your conundrum"

"Conundrum, really?"

"I can use big words too," he smiled.

"I see…" she trailed mock glaring him. "Any other secrets that you might be hiding from me? More fancy polysyllables like impignorate, jentacular, macrosmatic, perhaps?"

"Gods no, my oxters are sweaty due to my pauciloquency," he commented calmly with and smirk, making her raise eyebrow.

"I'll would continue this line of conversation but my kakorrhaphiophobia might arise"

"you? Kakorraphiobic? I don't think so," he affirmed.

"I used to be though," she confessed with a sigh.

"Really? I wouldn't have bet that someone so successful could have fear of failure," he added thoughtfully. She shrugged.

"Yeah, when I was young," she told him as a way of explanation

"You are young," he pointed.

"Younger then, I was 8 or 9 when I felt all the pressure to be the best. I had skipped a couple grades already and I knew that failing one subject would take me back to where I was supposed to be… I ended up developing an irrational fear to failure. I managed to understand later in life that the best way to learn something is by failing."

"Cool,"

"So, are you ever going to confess to someone that you actually have a minor in English?" she asked with a smile.

"Nope, if you didn't hack into my files you wouldn't know either"

"Well, if you were less prone to use fancy polysyllables in my environment, I wouldn't…" her cell phone rung in that moment, when she moved to pick it, Jack's cell also started to ring. Both looked at the screens with the same look of worry.

"Carter"

"O'Neill"

They answered simultaneously, walking each to a different side of the room for privacy of sorts, the call wasn't long and soon they were both walking towards the door.

"Daniel", "Hammond," they exchanged before walking towards their rooms to grab a warmer jacket and then down towards the car.

They rushed to base, and found several known faces hurrying along with them, they assumed something had come up that made Hammond call all of them, but no one knew anything more than that. The meeting room wasn't as full as the first time they joined the crowd months earlier, but the common faces that had moved to Colorado to try and get the issue sorted where all scattered around on what one could pin point as 'their places around the table', a video conference was also arranged for those who couldn't be there. Soon General Hammond joined them and sat at his place. Finally, Daniel had joined them jogging slightly.

"Hi," he let out with a quick wave before also taking his place.

"Now that we are all here, let me tell you why you were rushed in…" he surveilled the room making eye contact for a second or two with each of the presents. "One of the leads that we got from Vish"

"The goa'uld inside the kid we took to Cimmeria to get de-snaked, right?"

"Yes, Colonel. For those of you who might not know, as it was discussed in an internal meeting, there was no way to safely extract the goa'uld without damaging the host. Therefore, we had to consider other options. SG-1 and 2 joined Doctor Carter to Cimmeria, and she managed to fix the hammer, which is a protection artifact created by the Asgards to protect the inhabitant and that SG-1 had to destroy to bring Teal'c safely home." General Hammond explained, he knew that this explanation had to come from him to avoid any issues that could come from the other Agencies if Jack said something in a way they didn't like. "The parents of the minor requested his freedom. We couldn't keep him longer than the month we managed to convince the parents he was doing a training course"

"Yes, we know that, General. We also know that despite the humans were far more cooperative, they didn't know a thing that could help us."

"We also combed their records and there's no relation between what each of them was before they were approached by the goa'uld." The CIA Agent mentioned reading her notes, "Also, they all mentioned being alone when they were approached. The common things between the ones acting like guards of sorts: they are all single, no family or close friends, all of them between 18 and 25. We believe the age has nothing to do with the way they were picked since its seems more random that coincidental. They are all in shape, although you saw them, they aren't exactly built… they all mentioned being acquainted with each other for a good period of time, they weren't sure exactly how much, because they were on a facility in which passage of time wasn't exactly measured. Which points to somewhere underground or to a well-covered warehouse, and to an organization that we already were assuming they had"

"Thanks for the summary," Hammond smiled, "But we had some interesting conversations with the Jaffa. They didn't exactly give away where or who, but we might know one of the companies that are currently helping them."

"With what they all said, we managed to follow tracks to one company in L.A called Interstellar Inc"

"The game development company?" Sam asked confused and got a nod from Daniel as an answer, she frowned, "Well, it kind of make sense, developers are known by being too concentrated to notice things going around. That will also make sense as a place where time isn't exactly measured, depending on the type of personality developers take morning or night shifts, some are quite known by being nocturnal so a company like that is a 24/7 one," she explained, "I own several of those too," she shrugged.

"What's the plan?" Jack asked noticing the discomfort as Sam got the looks from all the people in the room.

"Well, that's exactly the reason why you are all here, Colonel. There's no enough information to get them, just some vague leads which could be misleading." Hammond pointed with a sigh, he too was getting tired of not finding anything useful.

"We need a mole"

"That's what I said when I learned this," Daniel pointed. "For obvious reasons none of you can be 'the mole' since you Sam, are their target and you, Jack are far too known by now. That also leaves me and Teal'c out of the game, adding on his case the not so small fact that he can be felt too"

"So I go," Andrews offered.

"Well it's not so easy we have to find a way to bring the people in, it's a civilian company, it's not like we can put janitors cleaning the building 24/7"

"I might have a plan," Sam commented with a small grimace, "the main issue is that it won't exactly give any certainty to someone getting inside the company, but at least will give us a chance"

"Please explain Doctor," Hammond requested.

"Okay, so I mentioned I have some software companies, right? Whenever I go in search of people to join any of those, I get resumes from people working on most of the software companies, including ones from Interstellar. Couple of weeks ago, I was on a meeting with one of the most renowned ones and the director mentioned that we should expand the company, maybe to another city to have more new ideas and different opinions. I told him that I would think about it"

"What does your company has to do with this?" Samuels interrupted from the video conference, and not Sam nor Jack could avoid to roll their eyes at the interruption.

"She was getting at it Samuels, but you had to interrupt" Jack commented with a smirk. "Go on, Doc"

"Okay, if I open a new branch let's say in L.A… I will definitively have preference to contract people already living there, which will result on 'stealing programmers' from L.A based developing companies…" she saw Samuels about to talk again so she raised her hand to stop anyone from interrupt her again, "the creation of that branch will move around 50 people from different companies, that's at least 3 or 4 developers from each company in LA if we only center in those applications… and that, will mean that Interstellar will be forced to hire people… hopefully one or two of our own along them."

"I see you point, Sam… but won't it take forever to get them in?"

"I said I might have a way in, not that it would be a fast one. However, I need two weeks' tops to start creating the company. I already have a place to set it and I only need to be approved. I'm pretty sure I can move in and set the needs there by the end of the month. Then I can start the hiring process"

"And then you have two weeks and Christmas"

"Yes, and for some reason I'm yet to understand, developers won't ever change jobs that close to Christmas. They will go to meetings and evaluations but they won't quit until January."

"So we still have to find a way in…" the FBI agent pointed.

"Well, we should be able to come up with something in the following days," the NID agent commented. Jack rubbed his face.

"You are the math one Doc, what are the chances that if we try to put some mics or get some people in periodically, they will notice?" he asked sounding tired, her grimace did nothing to alleviate his concerns

"HIgh." Her answer was received with a couple or raised eyebrows, "Interstellar isn't very popular with developers, it pays very well and has some very good benefits, but they are highly controlling. I remember having interviewed many of their developers that the general consensus was that someone was really afraid of their software being stolen."

"She's talking the truth," Daniel said, "in the time that took to settle all this, Andrews and I went through and tried to find more information about the company, there were several pages where the families of the workers or some workers themselves, complained on how their cell phone signal was shut down inside the building, or how they go through an awkward backpack or purse check every time they go in and out of the building, they also mentioned cameras installed in every floor, including the bathroom."

"Therefore, chances are that if someone tries to put a mic, someone might catch them"

"Yes"

"I guess there's no other way than yours Doctor," the NID agent conceded.

"I'll start to move it as soon as we get back."

"If no one have any further comments…" the General trailed giving anyone the chance to add something to the meeting. "Then we'll see you around on our scheduled monthly meeting."

The room quickly became empty, Daniel, Teal'c, Janet and Cassie joined Colonel and Doctor for dinner on an almost empty restaurant. All four of them chose not to comment on how much the relationship between Sam and Jack had evolved in the few months they had spent together. It was fairly easy for them to see that it could be way more profound than whatever relationship they had with their spouses. However, they also knew them both well enough to know none of them would give a false step that could endanger the pieces they so carefully had put together and called family.

"I can't believe December is just weeks away," Janet mentioned in a huff. A chorus of 'yeahs' was exchanged.

"Now that you mention December, what are your plans for Christmas?" Daniel asked to them. Jack shrugged.

"I don't know, I don't think I have a say in it," he confessed, and raised his eyes quickly enough because he knew he had just hurt her with his comment. "No offense there, Doc" he apologized and she nodded

"Well, do you like white Christmases or summer like Christmases, Colonel?" she questioned. She herself preferred the white ones, they were cozier and more romantic in her mind. But since she got married, she had failed to find the confinement due to snow all the appealing that it used to be when growing up and reading all those corny novels she got to read.

"White ones, duh" he commented with a smirk, while the other people rolled their eyes at him, "I grew up in Minnesota," he told her as explanation.

"What are your plans Janet?"

"The usual, dinner at home with Cass, then a midnight gift exchange. And as every year you are all invited. Come to think, it's funny how you two haven't met before. The year Sam came to my house, you couldn't come up because Charlie was sick. And the next year, you couldn't come because Rodney decided to throw a full party"

"Huh, as if this reality didn't want us meeting," Sam commented with a frown, "I guess is too late now," she shrugged her own comment off, "Okay… do you think Colorado will do, Colonel? I mean, I know Janet is planning some sort of party, maybe we can all go?"

"Sounds good to me. But I might still have to decline, Janet. You know I do have to check it with Sarah and Charlie," he explained, "… will Mckranky come along?" he grimaced, for some reason he couldn't bring himself even to mention his name

"Who?" they all asked confused.

"You know… short, brown haired, bad sense of humor, you married him…" he trailed pointing to Sam

"Ah, Rodney…" she crocked her head, while Jack nodded, "I don't know, he's not fond of Christmas as family holidays, he might do an appearance the 24th to give Jess her present. Unless he thinks of another party…" she mumbled.

"Wait, if you are afraid he might drag you to make another party, what we can do is make one at your place here, I know there's enough room for all of us to stay overnight if we wish. And it doesn't have to be anything fancy"

"That's a great idea Daniel! If that's okay with you Janet, I don't want to impose"

"Nonsense, if that makes you able to come to our little family Christmas then you make it."

"And as it will be a close friend only, you won't need to worry about extra security or extra hands"

"I guess it sounds like a plan"

They exchanged goodbyes after a while, when Cassie's eyes won over her eagerness to spend some more time with her favorite self-proclaimed aunt and uncle, they helped to half drag her half carry her to the car in which they were not as surprised to find that Daniel was going to spend the night at Janet's place.

They took Teal'c back to the Cheyenne and seeing the time, they both agreed that travelling would be postponed until early the next morning. She smiled softly when he did what he became used to do since the night of Jess birthday party, and walked her to her own room, before retreating to his own after a quick good night and a wave from afar.

She sighed as she leaned against the now closed door of her room and then shook herself, she mentally chastised herself for thinking on how much awkward the 'good nights' would become until one of them, or both, finally became unable to keep the walls up.


	19. Personal questions

Hello there! Sorry for the delay… I have to confess I totally forgot about thanksgiving. But here it is, somehow in the mix. Hope you like this one… it's getting more personal, I think. Oh! I changed Rodney's age to fit the history… I can't remember if I made that clear before xD

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 19– Personal questions.**

"Are you really saying no to that?" Jack asked, pointing to an envelope that currently laid discarded over her desk.

"Huh?" she looked at him confused, until she followed the direction of his finger. "Ah… I thought I already did," she frowned, "did I forget to do it?"

"No, but I mean…. Is the Christmas party at the White House, Doc… it isn't something everybody gets an invite to" he commented

"Do you want to go?" she asked as an answer, her eyebrow raised assessing him. "Politicians, plenty of them. Military people stuck in their dress blues trying hard not to look as uncomfortable as they really are. Many, many people, men and woman alike that have a peacock complex…"

"Peacock complex?" he raised an eyebrow amused, making her snort

"Yeah, you know when they dress up so much to get attention that you can easily see them as peacocks in your mind, and if you get too close to overpass them, then they get louder… which is kind of like what those birds do when opening their tails," she explained with a shrug.

"Please tell me you haven't' explained this to anyone else" The stunned expression on his face made her laugh fully.

"God no… but I'm sorry if from now on you can help but imagine them spreading their tails," she told him with a smirk, that made him crook his head.

"Is that how you survive those meetings, isn't it?" She feigned ignorance

"You still haven't answered if you want to go," she attempted to change the subject.

"After that description are you sure you want my answer?" He asked, amused.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's a no. I'm asking because if you want to go, I can still call them and let them know I changed my mind," she added with a shrug

"I thought once you cancelled the RSVP there was no going back…" he trailed dubiously.

"Normally, yes. But I'm quite known for having a weird schedule. So they will call me a few days before the party, to check if I didn't manage to clean my schedule."

"The advantage of being a VIP," he sighed theatrically. She smiled, biting her lower lip.

"I honestly think it's the boobs, but if you say is being a VIP… then let's leave it at that," she smiled, making him shook his head.

"You are something special…" he laughed, and she blushed

"Thanks, I try." She said with a bright smile, and moved to put the safety glasses back on. He had asked her before if he could watch her put the thing back together, so when she moved back to it, he followed suit… she grabbed her tools and he saw her moving her head from one side to the other and suddenly the air changed, and she bit her lower lip.

"What?" he asked following her expressions change from up close.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" she inquired, risking a glance, her eyes were somewhat distorted by the safety glasses.

"What stops you from doing it?" he answered, surprised, she had never shied away a question, personal or not, before.

"I don't know, I guess I don't want to intrude," she shrugged.

"Just ask, Sam." He whispered surely at her, she inhaled deeply, it was a rarity for him to call her that way. She bit her lower lip trying to get a hold of herself, the question nagging at her while the feelings battled inside her.

"Why did you marry Sarah?" she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh God, that didn't come out well, what I wanted to ask is what made you chose her? How did you know she was the right one?" she looked at him, the pink of embarrassment still coloring her cheeks. Their eyes connected and he found that he needed their glasses off. Smiling when she followed suit and nothing was between their connection anymore. Then he crooked his head slightly.

"Is this really because of me, or because of your own marriage?" he asked softly, she smiled deprecatingly at him.

"I know why I married Rodney, I was pregnant. And I fell under pressure." She shrugged, and he frowned, "My dad was a General and it looked bad for his career to have an unmarried underage pregnant daughter albeit quite good with numbers. The disappointment I found in both George and his wife when I told them, didn't help. It also didn't look good for the image of the companies either. Do you think people would like having someone like me as a role model? A rich girl who couldn't keep her legs closed? Don't put that face that was in the list of things people actually dared to tell me. Anyways, as the other parental figure, when he offered, I accepted," she finished.

"I…" he tried, but what do you say to something like that?

"Don't worry, I'm fully aware it isn't the most romantic story one would expect, but I was young and stupid and it was practical and fitting…" she shrugged one more time.

"You had at least A PhD's before having your kid, I don't think you are allowed to call yourself stupid," he countered making her smile.

"But then again, I was. Maybe I still am." She admitted making him frown, "I might be quite intelligent in some aspects of life, but I really suck at living it. I did think I was in love with him for a while…" she sighed, "before I learned I was pregnant, and the whole thing collapsed as a domino line…you, on the other hand, you look like someone who know how to live"

"Me?" he chuckled dryly, "far from it," she looked at him pointedly but no word was exchanged. Then she crooked her head.

"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have asked, it is a very personal question," she apologized.

"Mine isn't as romantic either, maybe is a big too egotistical and that's why I shied away," he explained, he saw her open her mouth, but he stopped her with a finger pressed to her lips, "Sarah was my high school sweetheart, you know? She was the first real thing, but I had an issue, I really wanted to join the Air Force… and I could have told her to wait for me, but I was so worried that during the time I was out, she would find someone else… so I proposed"

"Huh, " she left out, pensive

"What?" He doubted, he feared somehow all that they had managed to build was crumbling down because when he was a kid he did something as self-centered as that. She smiled, noting his worries.

"No, it's nothing… but I was under the impression you got married later."

"Because of Charlie's age?" he asked

"Yeah, I mean, normally I would have thought that someone who got married so young would have kids earlier too… but I'm intruding now"

"It's not like that, you aren't intruding. But as I told you, I joined. I never was at home for too long, and we also were not too dumb to bring a kid to the world when we were as economically unstable as we were. I mean, I had my income check, but for us, it didn't seem enough to bring a kid."

"I understand, you went through not having much, so of course you wanted to avoid that for your own child." She pointed. "It's quite logical actually"

"The thing is, we decided to wait. Then, when we were better, there were some miscarriages that led us to believe we would never have a child. For some reason they wouldn't go past the second month, until Charlie. She had a complicated pregnancy, she was bedridden, her father moved out with us to help her when I wasn't there, every time something pained her, the fear of losing him came out again. It was awful until he was born." He finished with a half sad, half happy smile.

"You didn't need to tell me all that, but thank you, I really appreciate that you did," she commented, taking his hand in hers and giving it a slight press.

"So you got pregnant at what 17?"

"18 actually, but those were the actual words, my dad used back then," she commented, but still smiled fondly at the image of baby Jess that her mind provided her with.

"And your Doctor husband was…" he trailed

"He was 24 at that time, we met when I was 16, dated that year and he moved in the next year."

"You know you could have sued him, don't you? You were still underage when it happened and he was way over it, that can be deemed rape" he added seriously.

"I know," she did that self-deprecating smile he hated so much in her, "But I was emancipated already, just like Daniel. And then, when I found I was pregnant… well, it was way easier for me to get married to him that to sue him," she pointed. He saw that the current direction of the conversation could bring him more information on her background and maybe, he could understand what really pushed her to choose to get married.

"So, you and Daniel were classmates?" She smiled brightly at him

"Yeah, I took French and so did he. Since then, we tried to keep at least one common subject so we would actually share interest, we also tried to move to the same college's; which was quite complicated. There are just a handful that will keep interesting programs in our different areas at par. But it worked, at least for 5 years, then we parted ways"

"And while you built this, Daniel ended up at the SGC" he commented.

"Building this… was way easier than it looks like from afar. At least if your brain works with numbers as mine does. I was playing with stocks at 13. Scholarships and funds for research came easy. I didn't need much for my own well being, therefore, it was pretty soon that I could use what I got from the stocks and investments to create the first one. Once the first one was stable, it was a piece of cake"

"And Rodney? What does he do?" he asked irked

"Well, he helps… kind of," she dismissed.

"The companies aren't his?" He asked surprised

"Nope, I told you… I was young, but not dumb. He does have a few companies of his own that he managed to create using his yearly benefits he gets from mine," his eyebrow raised, "what?"

"Nothing," he almost growled. And somehow she understood what was bothering him.

"Rodney is not using me, Jack. Probably it is the other way around, and I'm using him. Don't get me wrong, I told you I loved him and I do care for him. However, the reality is that keeping this sort of marriage up, keeps me out of the press. He can go to places whenever he wants to or I can ask him to go to conferences and such in my place and no eyebrow is ever raised. Also, having someone that goes with you to conventions and fundraisers is really helpful, those things can be quite boring on your own. Or quite difficult if there are more than one interesting activity at the same time"

"Huh," he added pensively.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a cold bitch or something. But I guess we've been together long enough to know each other well enough… after all, fifteen years is a long time"

"I'm aware," he commented with his eyebrow raised. Her eyes widened noticing he too was in a long time marriage.

"I'm sorry… I should shut up now"

"Nah, it's alright. I guess every couple goes through their own share of issues. Yours seem to be fixed up by avoiding each other as much as you can. While mine, appears to be improving with the psych help." He shrugged. "A piece of advice…. Avoiding it, doesn't make it go away, Sam"

"I…" She started, and that was when the intercom decided to ring, "yes?"

"Ma'am, your 15hs appointment is here"

"I'll be right there"

They exchanged a glance, both knew that this was another of their conversations that would be filed somewhere in their minds to never be used again.

"Now I really understand why you rejected that invitation," Jack commented, pulling the collar of is jacket. She curved her lips in an amused smile. She had rejected the formal ball at the White House for Christmas, but Rodney had accepted the one for the Science something club of San Diego, that they "couldn't possibly miss" for Thanksgiving.

"Just remember …"

"Please don't say peacocks…" he pleaded and she snorted, "because I'm really having a hard time not imagining Mrs … O'Reilly? As one" he said, pointing to the woman, and Sam laughed wholeheartedly. Said woman had a blue dress, with so much gold embroidery on top that she actually shone under the lights, the bad thing was that her tight fitting dress also seemed to explode on the lower part.

"I'm actually imagining her more as a cake doll," she confided.

"Huh, you are right. She does."

They were hiding side by side on one of the corners of the place, why? Jack didn't know for sure. What he knew was. the moment they entered… well, Sam... not him or Rodass, people went silent for a while. He had to be honest with himself, she was a very beautiful woman, but even gorgeous was an understatement right now.

Rarely, she had donned a perfect makeup that brought out the blue of her eyes, and the soft color of her lips was enthralling. It didn't help that she chose a black dress with a crescent moon like the neckline, he described it like that because that part was actually made in a slightly shimmering gray. The bodice part was tight and it also grows bigger but not uncontrollably so in the lower part. 'A common siren dress' Rodney huffed when he saw her … but he couldn't see why it would be called siren. He could see why someone would think of her as a siren. Yes, he was thankful Sarah wasn't invited nor in the house when the Doctor came down.

And people came to find her, and welcome her to the place as if she was some kind of goddess or maybe some kind of Midas, that would help them out to change nothing into gold. She answered politely and gave most of them instructions on how to reach her or the right team under her care, to which most nodded eagerly and some looked disappointed.

"Where did you go? Or the peacock got your mind?" She smiled at him, frowning a little.

"Huh? Ah, yes… I was just thinking that … your husband does looks more like a hummingbird than a peacock," he said jokingly trying to get the attention out of himself, but the pained expression on her face made him internally swear. "I didn't mean it like that… " he tried, but she raised her hand to stop whatever he wanted to say and breathed deeply, she opened her eyes and turned her face to look at him

"He is a humming bird, he is looking for his next flower," she commented dryly. And an uncomfortable silence fell, she didn't know for sure how to take the conversation out of the place in fell, and he didn't know for sure how to talk and not screw it after that. Both were saved by Mrs. CakeDoll

"Oh Samanthaaaaa! Here you are! We were searching for you everywhere! and you were nowhere to be seen! But of course, with this hunk of body guard I too would hide in the darkest corner of the room away from my husband," Mrs. O'Reilly winked at her. Both shifted their weight uncomfortable with the woman's words. But their discomfort wasn't noticed.

"Mrs. O'Reilly, may I introduce you to Colonel Jack O'Neill? Air Force… " she smiled politely at her, waving her hand in front of Jack. "He's visiting us from Colorado, he's here to supervise some Air Force projects, you know? To make sure I don't screw up their things." She added conspiratorially.

"Oh, I'm sorry Colonel… I didn't mean to be rude. It's really weird we see new faces around here, and when we do, they aren't as charming as yours," she flirted.

"Yeah, sadly, my wife couldn't make it. I know she would be really fascinated if she got to be here. But that's life," he shrugged.

"That's so sad, Colonel. Well, anyways… we were hoping that you could give some words, maybe?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know if I will be able to come up with something right now," she tried to apologize.

"Nonsense, Samantha, you will do it perfectly! Just talk from your heart!" she laughed, and Sam gave Jack a frightened glance. He also had learned she was a control freak and hated to give unprepared speeches.

"I have to agree with Mrs. O'reilly, Doctor. Just a brief thanks for the year will be okay, right?" The other woman nodded eagerly. And took her from one hand pushing her toward the podium. Jack followed suit he still had a job to accomplish. When they arrived and Mrs, O'Reilly introduced her, Sam turned around in panic and looked at him, and he winked at her.

"Good evening, I really was not expecting this. As you can see, I have nothing written, so I will keep it brief. This year was another year of many thank yous. For those of you who work with me, it was a year of many difficulties, risks and disappointments. But it also was a year of discoveries, and many, many hours of science. If you don't, I'm pretty sure that your year wasn't as far away from what I just described. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you… all of you for your dedication, for the hours invested and for everything you accomplished or didn't. Both situations have helped the rest of us immensely. Thanks to the Scientific Association for this party and for having me on their minds for this. Thank you, and enjoy the party," she finished with a smile and tried to slow down her steps.

"See, it wasn't that bad," he told her, once they were out of the mic.

"Yeah, because it wasn't you talking." She pointed, and started to walk.

"So, how long are we staying?" he asked as they neared their assigned table.

"I don't know. We can leave once they finish all dinner courses, I guess"

"All? We already went for three plates!" He commented, astonished

"Yup, it's a five plates dinner." She smirked

"And where I'm supposed to stuff all that food?"

"Don't ask me, I haven't tried half of the things that had come. I can barely breath in this thing, " she said, pointing to her dress and made him laugh.

"I'm pretty sure you have no issues eating, however I do believe you are keeping yourself for dessert," he smiled from the rim of his cup, and she raised an eyebrow.

"I have no fault that they decided to make a chocolate volcano for dessert," she pursed her lips. Rodney's arm falling loosely over the back of her chair, made him feel something rising inside of him, his comment didn't help

"Jesus Christ, Samantha, I hope I didn't hear that right, you barely fitted your dress today and now you are talking about dessert already?"

"I beg your pardon? I had no issues entering on my dress, maybe you are confusing whose dress your zipped up," she hissed, noting clearly how wasted Rodney was already.

"Well, whatever, you could use a few more pounds anyways" he commented loud enough for others to hear, making half of the table laugh.

"You could lose a few more pounds too, honey," she smiled politely. But Jack managed to hear the venom in her voice. "Now if you excuse me, I really need to go to fix my makeup," she excused herself and Jack tried to think of some excuse to follow her without raising any more comments about her.

"Go behind her, Colonel… I know you drool about her anyways. Who wouldn't she's the perfect trophy wife." He made the males in the table laugh. But Jack wasn't happy with his comment and moved forward and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Hear me, Rodney… you are the only trophy in your marriage. Stop treating her like that, she doesn't deserve it. Not does Jess. Are you listening to me?" Rodney nodded quickly, air leaving his lungs quickly. "Okay, now I will let you go, and I don't want to hear any comment about her or any other women coming from your mouth, unless it is to say how beautiful or smart they are, understood?" He finished, Rodney nodded.

"Ladies… I would say gentlemen, but whoever laughs with a woman being called a fat or trophy, doesn't deserve to be called that. Please, do excuse me" He said, raising tall. The table fell completely silent.

He walked towards the toilettes but he had the gut feeling she wouldn't be there. She wasn't one for hiding in a small cubicle to process stuff, she probably was in an airy place trying to build some more walls. So he followed the line of the building and found the way out of the salon and towards the gardens.

His gut was right, he found her half way into the gardens, right next to a fountain. He saw her flinch, and straighten her shoulders before he could even approach.

"Don't ask that," she told him aloud. Making him frown, and he understood.

"I won't, I know you are not." He added pointedly, stopping himself beside her. Far enough that they weren't really touching, but close enough that they could feel each other's heat. She shivered, and he noticed her skin was covered with goosebumps. He quickly took out his jacket and placed it over her shoulders, his hand resting on her shoulders longer than needed. She smiled at him gratefully.

"Thanks," she said, reaching for his hand and giving it a light press, then he moved to stand again beside her.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" he started this time, risking a glance. She smiled, it was the start of many of their latest conversations.

"What stops you from doing it?" she followed the script they had written for themselves.

"I don't know, I guess I don't want to intrude," he commented.

"Just ask, Jack." She whispered surely, inhaling deeply, "your curiosity can't harm tonight," she added and his heart went out to her, because with those words he understood that Rodney still had the power to harm her.

"Why don't you leave him?" He asked quickly.

"Well, I trust him for once"

"Even after accepting he is a humming bird?" He asked, confused. She nodded.

"Not in that way, I trust his persona, not on his fidelity," she tried to explain.

"Hum.."

"You don't buy it," she affirmed

"I don't," he agreed.

"I trust his decisions, and his actions in matters that can affect my or Jess well being. I don't care if he has 10 girlfriends or none, while he keeps protecting our interests." She explained again

"You aren't that materialistic, Sam," he affirmed

"I'm not." She acknowledged.

"Then why?" He asked half curious, half something he couldn't put a name onto.

"I have made a life with him, Jack," she whispered, fixing her eyes on the falling water. He looked at her unbelievingly.

"That's it? You trust him and made a life with him?" He asked, exasperated. She turned her face to look at him, and smiled sadly.

"What about you, then? Why don't you leave her?" She counteracted.

"You know I can't." He answered, but only saw her raising her eyebrow, she didn't believe him. "I can't. She has no job, no money… she would be helpless"

"Rodney cost me a day or two of my sanity, maybe a week of madness by year. I live peacefully, then why should I do it and not you her? While should I leave him?" she asked, she didn't know if it was simple curiosity or just jealousy what it made her ask that, but it was done. She embraced herself waiting for the answer.

"Because you can do better than him, Sam…" he whispered. 'You can do better than me,' he thought, but he didn't dare to put that out there, not when he had just confessed he couldn't leave Sarah.

"So do you, Jack…." She added looking him straight in the soul. "And I don't see you doing it either, or any time soon," she finished biting her lower lip

"Come on, Sam! It isn't like that!" he pleaded. Trying to put some order to his ideas and unwelcomed feelings that were moving fast on his being.

"Don't Sam-me, Jack… not now." She pleaded in a whisper, she took a step away or two, trying to make some sense out of the conversation, she didn't know for sure how they had come to it. While both knew the other was attached, and wouldn't risk to hurt anyone just to give it a try.

"I wasn't, I'm sorry… I don't know where I'm coming from," he sighed, rubbing his face, "maybe is the wine," he tried and she laughed dryly.

"We both were having water." She told him, and inhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then she turned around bravely, jaw clenched and eyes avoiding his.

"Give me time, Jack… I can't change that fast. Just like you have trouble doing it too," she whispered. And then, she raised her eyes and found his, and there was so much being said that they both had no choice but look away.

She walked a few more steps away before adding, "I know I can change, but do you?" and with that she placed his jacket on a bench nearby and reentered the party.


	20. Awkwardness, Xmass and News

Hi! Thanks for your reviews. I'm really glad you are still around! :D

I have to confess this is probably the first fic that I write which actually has a plan behind it from the start. So, some parts are amazingly easy to write, some I'm like *what the hell was I thinking when I said I wanted this to happen? * and then of course I go and forget something like thanksgiving /-\

There's still a decent way to go and hopefully when we finally get to the end of the road, all the things will be firmly tied … so out we go…

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 20 – Awkwardness, Xmass and News**

The thanksgiving party was for her a carrousel of emotions. She had grown used to the paraphernalia of high end parties, but since the first attack, she rejected more and more events and now, she felt ill at ease without seeing the other side of the room and the inability to see the faces behind the cameras.

She felt self-conscious entering the room, with the flashes and lights pointing to her, and uncomfortable with the attention people gave to her. Then she felt half embarrassed, half proud when Mrs. O'Reilly thought Jack. No, the Colonel and her were making out like teenagers in the darkest corner during prom. Then afraid and worried, and relieved during the short speech. Then, she felt something between enraged and hurt by Rodney's words. But if someone asked her what was that she felt during the moments she stood outside enveloped in the warm embrace of the Colonel's jacket, she probably would open her mouth several times but nothing would come up.

She felt… everything. She felt how heart raced and her walls crumbled. How her hopes moved in and her fears expanded, how her hands had followed his during the short moment he laid his own on her shoulders, and she felt not the words but what she saw in his eyes.

And there was only one word to explain what happened afterwards: Awkwardness.

The word perfectly described the moments after the discussion which shouldn't have happened. She was worried about what she had said, she was concerned about what she listened to. And moreover, she was tormented about what she saw and distressed about what she didn't say, but she didn't know if she showed.

On the other side, he too was perturbed. He tried not to think about what she told him, he tried to grasp the knowing she had actually laid out there: she was preparing herself to move forward and make herself free of her husband, and had challenged him to do the same. And moreover, he tried not to overthink on what he had seen in her eyes. And how a simple look could make him think he could go and make a leap of faith and believe everything would be solved if she was beside him.

They were both lost in thought, therefore, the drive back was painfully silent. Philips kept looking at the back seat where she was intently staring away and glancing the front seat from the corner of his eye, to check the Colonel. Sam had called him earlier to ask him to pick them up earlier, and to send another driver to pick her husband at the previously agreed hour, she also told him to make sure that whomever it was, was discreet which to Philips translated as: Rodney is drunk, he probably has a friend with him, make sure his new friend stays out of my house. He understood it loud and clear, he had been put in a similar position more times that he liked to remember. However, not even such situation could explain the tension between Colonel and Doctor.

He was really curious to know what had happened at that party that had made them both so serious and so self-absorbed, making the Colonel chose the front instead of the back where they normally would travel watching the Simpsons together no matter how tired one or both looked. He checked his boss again and this time she looked at him back and smiled sadly.

"Keep your eyes on the road, Philips. Whatever is in going on in the back has already passed," she said to make him understand everything was okay.

"Was it a good party, ma'am?" He tried to pry, she smiled.

"It wasn't a bad one. Philips, I'm only too tired and I have too many things to think about," she tried to dismiss, but Philips raised his eyebrow knowingly.

"You always do, ma'am." He pointed, he wanted to add something else, but he couldn't think of anything to say, because he didn't know what started it.

"Yeah…" she whispered, turning her head back to the side, and he tried not to sigh, since her boss had closed whatever door he thought he had opened to learn what happened.

When they got to the house, she almost jumped out of the car and half ran to the lobby. Jack swore and followed her close behind. He somehow managed to jump inside the elevator on time, making her sigh.

"Sam," he called when she got out. He totally forgot to press the number for his own floor, he noticed and walked behind her towards her room. She stopped abruptly and turned around.

"Not now, let me think. I need to process this… whatever happened tonight," she pleaded tiredly and he found out he didn't want to analyze anything, he just didn't want the awkwardness to stay until the morning and he really, really wanted to kiss her worries away. He cleared his throat mostly to keep him from doing what his mind was telling him to.

"I was only going to say good night, Doc," he commented opening the door for her. Her eyes softened a little and she blushed.

"Thanks, good night Colonel," she finished before closing the door behind her, and leaning against it. That morning found them both still awake and still thinking, tiredly both moved to complete their routines, both deciding that they would only speak about whatever they were trying to talk about if the other brought it up.

The weird environment from that night dissolved on day one, but none of them had the courage to bring it out again and the holidays made them painfully aware of the decisions they had to make if they ever dare to bring the conversation back to the table. A 'family weekend/slumber party' of sorts brought them to Colorado the morning of December 23rd. Sam only hoped this weekend wouldn't become even more awkward since Rodney decided not to join them and therefore, she had to remember his existence by herself, and that was something became harder and harder to do which each passing day since the Colonel joined her life.

"Mom! I can't remember when was the last time we spend a white Christmas!" Jess shouted excited, making her jump out of her mind. Jess' joy was contagious enough to brighten the day, and she decided that hurting her daughter was the one thing which would prevent her to do something foolish, he hadn't brought it up and he looked really happy with his little family, so she decided it would be up to him. Her family wouldn't suffer that much if Rodney wasn't part of it anymore. His, however, as it seemed was becoming stronger and more knitted.

The moment they got to the house, Sam started to busy her mind by giving instructions to everyone, from Jess to all the personnel who had volunteered to help with the event, which had started a day earlier due to the announcement of a snowstorm, and the fact that the house was on a side of the mountain. The combination of those had made them all agree to arrive the 23rd for fear of not being able to get there on Christmas Eve.

Dinner that night was almost an early rehearsal of Christmas eve, and it was during it that Daniel inquired about the advances of the situation from her side with a "How's your little LA project going?"

"Well, everything is set and we started to get some very interesting resumes. 10 of them are exactly what we were hoping for," she finished.

"That's awesome! So we might have a go on January?" He asked hopefully, the rest of the table watching the exchanged closely.

"What is that about?" Jess asked, confused.

"We are opening a new branch of a company, honey. We hoped for a good bunch of new resumes to bring a new perspective to the developed products," Sam explained not batting an eye.

"Cool! Do I still get my internship spot saved, right?" Jess squinted comically.

"Of course," she winked at her daughter, "And yes, Daniel, we hope we complete our part of the project by the first days of January, then it will be just a little luck"

The next morning, running outside was definitely out of the program, with snow covering the grounds and still steadily falling, Jack walked up to the gym and was surprised with an already awaked Janet cycling close to where Sam was about to start jogging. It was later when the three of them already had barely recovered their breath when Janet asked: "So you think your project, as Daniel put it will work?"

"I sure hope so." Sam answered hopefully, "is not that I want to get rid of you Colonel, I really want to get rid of you," she answered honestly making him laugh. "No offense intended," she grinned.

"None taken, do you mind if I go ahead? I kind of am very aware of how those plans are going," he commented, then he smiled mischievously, "and you heard her, she kind of wants to get rid of me"

"Sure," they answered, laughing almost at the same time.

"We got enough candidates from different areas to hire, meaning that we might be able to get a decent number of people inside in different areas." She explained walking towards a bench Janet pointed her to. "Which would translate as eyes and ears in several places… hopefully, at least one will have luck enough to overhear or see something," she sighed, sliding enough to rest her head in the backrest and close her eyes. Doing this, she missed how Janet looked around making sure the gym was empty.

"So…" She started, the way she said it made Sam open an eye, "what's going on between the two of you?" She finished conspiratorially.

"I beg your pardon?" Sam asked, frowning, and coming back to sitting upright.

"Come on Samantha Carter, I know you somewhat well." Janet pointed and Sam sighed tiredly.

"Nothing is going on, Janet. I swear. We both are married and won't do anyth…" Janet stopped her raising her hand.

"I don't want to know what you will or will not do, Sam. I want to know what is going on, especially in that head of yours."

"What you are asking is impossible…" she sighed, sounding somewhat defeated.

"Why? Don't you trust me? I can bring Daniel if you want to…" she trailed.

"No, you don't understand, I really don't know what's going on in my head," she confessed, "he distracts me, but in a welcomed way. And I think I feel things, but I'm not supposed to… I just don't know what the hell is wrong with me anymore. I miss him when he's not around and he is around almost 24/7! I've memorized how his voice changes depending on the situation, among other things… and I can't help but feel guilty with what I'm not doing! And of course, I also feel guilty if I do something," She huffed and Janet smiled understandingly without having cleared any of her doubts.

"So no mistletoe in the house," she winked standing with a grin. Sam's eyes widened comically and Janet laughed.

"Oh, dear lord, no mistletoes please"

True to her word, Janet not only didn't allow anyone to bring up the question about the lack of the pesky plant, but she also went through all the decors around the house, picking the little thing out of the way. She thought the girls would complain, but when they found they were the youngest ones and they weren't really interested in practicing that specific tradition with any of the old people around them, no further discussion was needed.

Dinner was magical, the conversation was loud and jovial and somehow, Jack was surprised talking with the Sarah he used to know so well. Histories were exchanged, Jack told them about a Christmas when Charlie was young. Sam regaled them with one of Jess. Cassie helped (interrupted) Janet while she recounted Cassie first Christmas, and they remembered too when Daniel tried to explain the concept of Santa Claus to Teal'c.

"I still do not comprehend how an obese man, can enter from the chimney, nor how he can travel around Earth in a day giving presents. However, what I find most intriguing is how he manages to climb back to the rooftop and where one can get a red nose reindeer," he commented so seriously that all the ones that didn't know him well enough, doubted a little.

"Good one T! You are improving!" Jack laughed and the Jaffa bowed his head

"Huh?" Jess asked not too sure that Jack hadn't just lost another marble. She was quite conscious that the Colonel didn't have them all from the start.

"That was a joke, his …. Country… has a really bad sense of humor," Daniel explained for the benefit of those who didn't had security levels to know about the real origins of the Jaffa.

"Oh… okay, that was funny T," Jess added politely, making all of them laugh, because it was pretty obvious she did it to be polite. Teal'c found that endearing and he bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Can we open the presents?" She beamed in a way that was impossible not to know who her mother was.

Sam was still starting to nod when Jess was already beside the tree looking for one present to grab. The dinner was planned with enough time to wait for midnight, and the clock hit the 12 mark at the same moment that Jess rose from under the tree with a box in her hand and a bright smile on her face. "Merry Christmas to all!" She shouted and the same was shouted out loud and hugs, congratulations, and kisses were exchanged around.

"Mom, this one is for you," Jess added shyly, making Sam frown slightly

"You didn't have to," she told her taking the gift

"I know! I wanted to." She pointed, "anyways, it's nothing big," she shrugged dismissively. Sam peeled the box carefully and found inside a draw of herself and baby Jess at the beach.

"This is beautiful Jess, thank you!" she hugged her daughter before frowning, "but this doesn't save you from going to bed now" Jess blushed and nodded. Before taking one gift for her, opening, thank for it and disappear toward her room, dragging a whining Cassie with her. Charlie closing the line of complaining teenagers, all three of them followed by a happy Rocket racoon.

The loud voices from before, where soon more calm and as the time ticked by, people started to give up and disappeared to their assigned rooms to try and get some sleep. It was late when Sam found herself alone in front of the bright lights of the tree, watching the draw her daughter had given her.

"It is a nice detail," Jack's voice came behind her and she jumped scared.

"Holy Hannah, you scared me. I thought everybody had already gone to bed." She whispered.

"I was under the same impression," he told her, however, he raised his eyebrow because, yes, he really expected not to find anyone and that was why he was on his Pj's. But she still was fully dressed. "You should go to sleep, I'm pretty sure the kids won't be very patient when they wake up"

"I'll be up at the same time I wake up every single day," she pointed

"But you shouldn't, you should rest. Is Christmas you are supposed to cuddle with your loved ones and enjoy peacefully as the hours' tick by"

"The only person I could have cuddled with, is not currently available," she commented and he blushed. He caressed her cheek with a hand and she couldn't help but lean into it.

"Things can change," he told her and she nodded.

"I know, they are." She smiled, looking again to the draw

None of them saw Sarah, or how her eyes widened with the comment, or how she clenched her jaw tightly when her husband caressed the Doctor's cheek. She thought about going in and make a scandal, but she knew that whatever she did, she was on The doctor's ground with the doctor's people. Also Daniel and Teal'c were too loyal to Jack which meant they wouldn't ever believe what she saw.

On the other side of the room, Sam yawned and scrubbed her face tiredly.

"What were you doing down here anyway?" she asked

"Came from some sweet milk," he grinned guiltily and she laughed.

"Then you should go and get some, it seems to me that I really need to go to bed," she added as she yawned again. Sarah heard them coming closer and decided to go upstairs towards their room and wait for him, she was too far to hear when Sam added "I was talking about Jess, you know that, right?" His face softened.

"Of course I do. The way you looked at the picture was enough to make that clear" he smiled, "I loved to cuddle with Charlie, until he was too grown up to like it," he winked at her.

"Kitchen is towards there, Colonel," she pointed towards the other way with a playful smile.

"Are you sending me off to bed, Doctor?" he asked with an outraged look.

"Nope, just to the kitchen, Colonel," she grinned. "Go, you should get some sleep too." He bowed and waited for her to start to go downstairs towards the master room.

"Good Night, Doc," he added

"Good night, Colonel," she waved and he turned around to find his milk. Glass in hand, he returned to his room, he hoped the door wouldn't wake Sarah, but he found himself straight into her glare when he got in.

"What?" He asked, confused, cleaning the milk mustache away.

"I hope that was the only thing you got downstairs," she told him and he frowned.

"I have no idea what are you asking this, but no, I found the Doctor still awake. We talked for a short while." He shrugged.

"Okay," she conceded, and he gratefully took that as a sign of her change. He was wrong.

Christmas came and go, her birthday passed by without much of a fuss. Her brother called her, Jess made her another painting and Anita baked a cake, and that was pretty much it. Then New Year's Eve arrived. This time she couldn't reject the invitation that was made that very morning, since it came from one of the neighbors and telling them that you weren't there when they found you at your door was impossible.

By the time the year ticked to its end, she sure wanted to have said no. Jess and Charlie counted loudly beside her, the firecrackers made her jump, but it was the fireworks and how they shone in the exact moment that Sarah and Jack kissed more passionately than she had ever seen them what cracked her the most. She tried to compose herself quick enough and hoped they hadn't seen it, the awful moment when she figured out how exactly jealousy felt.

Jack came to find her and congratulate her, but it was the mischievous smile on Sarah's face paired with their swollen lips that confirmed her that she wasn't so lucky. The daring glare also told her that the kiss was for her eyes. She exchanged pleasantries with them, as if she hadn't seen a thing, but she did it as fast as she could to look somewhat normal and then rushed away from them as the first opening to do so appeared. Jack watched her go, with the feeling in the pit of his stomach of being used to hurt her. He tried to find her to apologize, but she made herself scarce enough that she wasn't easily find or was never alone. **  
**After that debacle of sorts, they had got back to their regular relationship, something between familiarity, friendship and the knowledge of being forbidden to explore anything further than that. It was also in the name of said friendship that she had suggested him both to ask for a reassignment to SGC and/or to bring Sarah and Charlie to her house.

"Are you sure?" he asked her surprised, when she brought it up and she nodded, her heart doing a painful summersault in her chest.

"Hmm, yes. It's too much time away from your family, Colonel. The least I can do is having them in the same house that you are in, don't you think?" she asked in the coldest voice he had ever heard from her.

"Sam, if that is going to make you uncomfortable in your own house, I won't take your offer." He affirmed.

"Nonsense, Colonel"

"Stop that." He told her firmly

"What?" She tried to play innocent.

"The colonel thing. What's going on?" He asked, two steps away from cornering her in her own office.

"Nothing, really C…"

"If you say Colonel I will tie you until you tell me what the hell is wrong," he menaced her, entering into her personal space. She took a step back, but he followed and she couldn't but blush under his unwavering presence. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep her mind under control. But her eyes betrayed her, her pupils dilated under his gaze, and his… his changed equally fast. She gasped for air and he groaned, resting his forehead on hers.

"Is either that, or please, request your reassignment? I don't know how long I can take this, Jack. I really don't," she whispered and he nodded.

Moving backwards as if someone hit him in the gut. And she did, he had managed to get her to a point of almost breaking and she defended herself with those words. He understood what she was doing, why she was asking him to do it and he also knew he couldn't bring himself to leave her care to someone else. He understood that seeing Charlie and Sarah around her house would be a reminder of what she would be interfering with if she couldn't control herself, making him spent days and nights thinking if it wasn't too much of a high price for both of them to pay.

The only thing that got the images of the O'Neills kissing and the way Jack looked at her that day out her mind was working herself to exhaustion. That was until she got the call from both LA and Hammond a few days later, to confirm their plan had managed to put a couple of agents from different companies on different positions inside Interstellar.

However, with the knowledge that she soon could be free and away from one of the most painful situation she had managed to put herself into had made her so excited that she couldn't focus on anything for the rest of the day. Until it also settled that she would be losing contact with him for good. But as things never go quite as planned, the agents had worked their way in but they still had failed to report anything important, and the first deadline was quickly arriving. It was after the first meeting in January, when Jack was called to Hammond's office.

"Colonel, please take a seat"

"I'm okay, sir," Jack told him remaining standing, he hated to be called to Hammonds office, it made him remember all the times he was called to the principal's office back when he was a student. Hammond nodded.

"Something did come up from the agents, Jack. They don't know for sure when but they know it will happen somewhere at the end of this month or the start of the next, one of them overheard them talking, one of them overheard a phone call."

"What's the plan? Why didn't you tell this during the meeting?" He questioned and Hammond sighed scrubbing his face.

"There's no plan. We are still tied, there's no enough evidence to suggest that something wrong is happening there, and we have nothing more than two agents who were lucky enough to overhear someone talking. I already asked, but according to the FBI that's not enough evidence to grant a warrant and also, would be pointing to having a mole inside"

"Whatcha' saying, General?"

"We believe that somehow her schedule is compromised, one of the agents had managed to get inside of their network enough to find a copy of what seems her schedule in one of the drives. However, as most of the computers are dumb terminals, they all save their folders to the network drive and that means they can't pinpoint exactly who had put them in there. Or at least that was what they told us so far"

"Okay, so she should change her whole schedule"

"No, Jack. Her schedule must remain the same if we want them to act. We are considering the use of the mimetic imaging device of that alien race and use it to replace her for someone else"

"Sorry, what?"

"You know that one situation in which Teal'c managed to contact with you and Sam, and she found how to deactivate those things," Hammond said passing him a folder.

"Oh, yeah… I remember, the one that Teal'c and I found you all hanging from the roof," he grinned and Hammond glared at him.

"However, even with the mimetic device there's an issue," he continued not paying attention to Jack's last comment. "We need you to take Sam to a safe place no one knows about. Can you think of something?"

"I have a cabin in Minnesota, is far away and is a small community, maybe that works?" He offered.

"If you think it will, organize a way that no one else knows your whereabouts," he ordered.

"Okay, but what about her blood thing? Wouldn't that point that her double isn't her?"

"We thought about that, the Tok'ra is sending an operative to do it, if she agrees." He added.  
"So, it's up to her?"

"It always is… she could decide something else, like going to some other planet. But if I know her well enough, she will prefer to have some sort of quick contact with the world in case something comes out of it"

"You never know until you ask, General"

"Very well," he told him, raising his phone, "Get Doctor Carter to my office a.s.a.p"


	21. Plans, trips & snow storms

Hey! Coldish weather has hit my town, sooo… I'm in a pseudo romantic mood. So, it was perfect for writing this part. Don't get your hopes too high tough.

Anyway! Here we go…

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 21 – Plans, trips and snow storms**

"Hey, you called?" Sam asked entering the small office. Jack remained still there, "What's wrong?" she let out as soon as she noticed him.

"It's not what you might think," Jack commented before she decided he was there to ask for his transference. "There's something you need to know…" he trailed pointing to the chair next to his. Hammond frowned at the exchange, but he let it pass, he considered that if something came up between the two of them, one or both of them would present him the case in search for either advice or approval.

"Sam, have you managed to make those mimetic devices work?" He asked calling the attention at himself.

"Yup," she nodded once, "they only had you all hooked up to the ceiling to avoid you going around and compromise their invasion, but the image is recorded on the device itself in a…" the widened eyes and exchange of looks made her sigh, "yes, I know how they work"

"Cool," Jack left out, it was a point in their favor at the moment.

"Can you replace the image for an image of someone else? Let's say… The Colonel's and yours?"

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or are you letting me come up with all the possible scenarios?" she wondered out loud.

"There's been a small breach at Interstellar…" Jack trailed checking her, she nodded once to ask him to continue, "there's no enough information to bring them down, but is enough information to want to protect you"

"Which would lead at them knowing there's an insider... What's the plan?"

"Right now, we can't risk to change your plans, but we also can't risk letting you out there. "

"So you want to use the mimetic device to put someone else in danger?"

"The Tok'ra agreed to send two operatives that will be able to learn whatever you have to present and be you for those days. And we will send someone as their guard, also, all the venues will be monitored closely."

"But for this plan to work, we both have to disappear and I have to load our images to the mimetic device, right?" She got two nods, "mmkay, however, I won't agree to go to a different planet. I prefer to be around in case they need to call me for information, or if something happens"

"I have the perfect place for that, we will be close to here, but far away enough that no one would come looking for you."

"What about looking for you?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

"They're less than a handful of people who know where to find me, but we can plan around so we look like going to wherever you need to go, and travel from there to where we need to go"

"If that's the best plan we can come up, I guess I have no choice, but accept it," she shrugged.

"Oki doki, I'll start planning then," He grinned, "General?"

"Dismissed Colonel," he waited for Jack to leave before turning fully towards Sam. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it does sound like a good plan. What about Jess and Charlie?"

"When the time comes, we will put some extra guards to follow them. Don't worry, also if you feel you need to check this with Sam A, please do. But keep in mind that we aren't sure that we don't have someone listening from here."

"Yeah, will do. See you around," she waved before leaving.

It wasn't until they arrived back to her home in San Diego that she started to panic, not because of what she was supposed to do, or because of what was happening… but because she just realized she would be in very close quarters without anyone around to get her mind out of the gutter.

As the days passed, and she started to train the Tok'ra to become her, she silently grew more and more concerned about her situation. She found she couldn't speak to anyone about it, not for the sake of the plans and not because the only person who knew them was Jack himself and he was absorbed in making the perfect plan to get them wherever they were going and teach his fake self how he behaved. And then the few days they had to make all work passed and they were boarding her plane with destination to North Dakota, starting the journey to his cabin.

"We should be at Silver creek in 6 hours," he pointed as he started the engine. She nodded absentmindedly. They had spent the almost 3 hours of the flight avoiding any kind of conversation about the situation they were in. Trading their waters carefully, running away of too personal subjects.

"So where is it?'

"Silver Creek?" he asked, paying attention to traffic. "It's an hour or so northwest of Minneapolis"

"Then why Bismarck? I mean there are a few airports and lanes closer," she asked turning towards him

"Well, I would never go there just to go to the cabin," he shrugged. "Most people who know where to find me knows if I go there I will either drive from Colorado if I have lots of time, or from Minneapolis, if it is a short visit."

"Kay… If you are sure," She shrugged. "Do you believe someone is watching you too?" she asked after a while.

"It's been a long time since I was positioned to take care of you… I mean, your safety. So I wouldn't put it pass someone to start digging on my life." He told her looking at her from the corner of his eye, "I know for sure that if I was the one trying to get you, I would look whomever was in charge of your safety."

"Hmm, I guess that if I was trying to get someone, I would investigate everyone around."

They stopped for food, did few short stops to stretch their legs mostly, and it was half an hour after the sixth hour of their trip when he finally pointed to a sign that showed Silver creek. She smiled at him.

"We still need to make one stop in town to get some fuel for the power generator and groceries." He told her before turning into a what looked the road to town. It was a quaint little village, he stopped beside the grocery store. "Let's get what we need for a week or so"

"Sure," she told him, jumping out of the car. She had given him an envelope with money for anything they would need and told him it was for him not to feel awkward with her paying for everything. Especially when everything from the rental truck was paid cash to avoid being tracked.

"So, what's with this cabin?" She asked, confused as they roamed the medium size grocery store, both putting different stuff they found as they went.

"It was my grandparent's home," he answered, but didn't continue further. "When we finish here I will get us fuel enough to last a day, they disconnect the power lines that far when I'm not around. So tomorrow we will have to make a trip to town to get it connected."

"Okay," she smiled.

"Hey Jack! Long time not seeing you," the cashier welcomed him. "Hi, I'm Esther."

"Sam," she answered politely not too sure of how she should introduce herself. The cashier looked at her, but didn't say anything but "nice to meet you"

"You never come anymore, Jack! I was told you got a kid?"

"Yeah, he's thirteen."

"Dear lord, is been that long since you last visited?"

"Nope, you just weren't here when I was." He smiled not quite telling her anything, and at the same time giving her the money for their purchase.

"Uh, well… it was nice seeing you around. You have to bring the kid sometime so I get to meet him!" she finished. Sam couldn't help but feel somewhat out of her pond, and observed.

"Relax, it's a small town. They believe they know what's going on in everyone's lives, but since most of their own kids and grandkids have parted to other cities, is easy to know they don't know as much as they want"

"I'm not worried about it. I do feel like I'm somewhat intruding into this community," she pointed

"Yeah, it will pass soon enough."

They went out of town not before stopping for the fuel, and continued driving until the street lights were off and further into the darkness. He drove at ease, so she figured out she shouldn't get worried about their whereabouts. Then he turned into what looked like a private lane. And she saw it, the wooden cabin sat in the middle of the now snow covered woods.

"Wow, it's beautiful and kind of perfect for a horror movie." She commented and he snorted.

"Why thanks, I guess… but really just wait until tomorrow both dawn and sunset look amazing from the deck." He doubted about turning the engine off or not, "let me get the generator on and then I will come look for you and the stuff"

"I can give you a hand or two… I kind of good with things" she smiled.

"If you want to… I just need to pour that into the thing and see what I'm doing… "

"I can always hold the lantern," She smiled, he moved towards where she sat to grab the lantern from the compartment and she tried hard not to blush, when they both got down, she thanked for the cold temperature that would hide her blushing features while he grabbed the fuel tank.

"This way," he pointed and they both walked towards the house. Between the two of them got the thing working in minutes and then the house was finally enlightened. The heaters were set at full speed to make it warm as fast as it could, while they started to get their things out of the truck and into the house.

"Here, let me take your things to the master …" he started trying to get her to release the small suitcase she brought with her.

"I'm going to stay in your guest room, Colonel. I am after all the guest," she affirmed not releasing her bag.

"But the master bedroom has an en suite bathroom… the"

"I don't care... you are the owner. I'm the guest. So do take the room that belongs to you," she affirmed. She didn't know for sure if it was because it really was his room to take or because she didn't dare to enter it.

"Okay…Let me bring your stuff then." He conceded, and she smiled finally letting go of the handle. "This way, Doc," He walked towards the end of the only hallway and she followed. He entered the room at his right, "This one is the guest's room." He added leaving her bag on a small desk. I'll bring sheets and covers shortly. The bathroom is the other door on this side of the hallway."

She prepared two sandwiches while he worked on putting everything away and showing her where everything went, she mocked him when she saw the contents of one of the cupboards was different kinds of beer, but he just shrugged it away.

"We can test them all while we are here," he added, putting some of them in the fridge. Then, once everything was set they waved each other goodnights and disappeared into their rooms.

It was late that night when he felt something wasn't right, he took the covers out of his body and slid his legs out of the bed sitting quickly, elbows on his knees. He placed his face in his hands and then scrubbed it tiredly. Then he remembered where he was and why he was there, quickly and silently he dressed on sweatpants and a sweatshirt and some thick socks, he grabbed his side gun from behind the bed and padded slowly but surely towards the guestroom.

He opened the door and thanked the gods he had remembered to change the hinges last time he was there, because he remembers how awfully loud those were before and now, no sound came. He strained his ears, but he found the breathing sound was missing. Confused, he walked inside and definitively, the bed, although, messed was empty and cold. He swore.

He got out of the room and found the lack of lights disturbing, he stopped to check the bathroom anyways but that room too was deserted. The only light was coming from the bright moonlight entering through the windows. Then he thought the worse, because who in their right mind would go around an unknown house in the pitch dark that currently surrounded him?

The kitchen was empty, and there was no one in the dining room beside it. He started to get a little more unnerved, but still in check with his own emotions proceeded to verify if the truck was still there, and definitively it was. Covered in two inches of snow, but still there. He waited for a while, maybe they were still fighting with the truck, but the engines were never turned on. He took the steps separating him from the living slowly, not even the lights of the remains of the fire he had put off earlier where there. Or at least, they weren't visible anymore, his mind provided. And then, he thought he saw something, and moved towards the back door.

And surely, there in the cold night, one of the lounge chairs he usually kept inside during winter was propped over the small dock. Swearing when he felt the cold biting his body, he turned around and quickly found the appropriated clothes to be able to move around and check what the hell was going on. And there she was, fully laid looking at the current clear skies.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" He asked, somewhat worried, somewhat relieved. But startling her out of her reverie. She quickly found his eyes, hers better adjusted to the night.

"Stargazing," she answered not explaining much.

"You know it's freezing out here, how long have you been here?"

"I don't know… what time is it?"

"11PM"

"32 minutes, then," she shrugged, "hope you don't mind, I dragged this one out"

"Nope, not really, it's water resistant."

"We should get back inside," she commented not moving.

"Are you cold?"

"Not really"

"Then?"

"It's late…" she trailed.

"But you are awake and so am I," he pointed, then he turned around and went to find another chair and they both sat staring up.

"When I was a kid, we moved a lot," she started softly, "and in order to make me feel home, or at least acquainted with the place, my mom and I would often stay up till 12 and she would show me the stars"

"So you decided Minnesota is too far away from San Diego, or Vegas, or Colorado, or DC that you needed to see stars in the freezing cold?" He asked jokingly, she sat up and turned around to watch him.

"No, not really… I guess is something I do every time I … never mind. We should go back inside..." She trailed standing up, and started to drag her chair back.

"Wait!" He stopped her with just one word, the tone made her shiver. "You are freezing, go inside. I'll take the chairs back in, maybe we need some hot tea or something," she smiled at him and thanked he actually mistook the reason of her shiver.

"Yeah, tea sounds nice, hot chocolate sounds even better, if I may interest you in it?" He agreed easily and not much later, they both sat in the kitchen bar, nursing two smoking hot cups of chocolate. He took a sip and hummed in appreciation. She snorted, "you were afraid to test it," he nodded, "why?"

"Well, it's not like I have seen you doing much cooking," he pointed, "this tastes very good"

"I don't think hot chocolate is considered cooking. Besides, I have a daughter that sometimes I need to bribe"

"Did I ever asked you why she's at the boarding school? I mean, I feel you could be an excellent mother, why ship her away?"

"It wasn't like that, when she was first born, she was with me most of the time. She had her own room in most of my offices and I stopped meetings to take care of her… but kids grow." She added, taking a sip of her drink, "when she needed to start school, I tried to take her to a good private one and pick her up. But my schedule wasn't as indulgent as people often thinks from a director or owner. Anyway, a week later I was almost forced to hire a driver for her. Week four, I had to travel for two weeks and couldn't just get her out of school so she would be with me. Rodney and I had a discussion, he spoke with the boards and they gave me a choice: I could retire and let him take over the companies, which I wouldn't do. Or, since I couldn't keep her flying away every two weeks to different schools, I could sign her as an intern… I do think Rodney was right, she deserved the stability and boarding school gave her that"

"You could have hired a teacher and make her study at 'home'"

"Yeah, and take away from her the chance to get around kids of her same age, and of a good school? I don't think that's fair either. It was good the first couple of years, then she started to ask not to pick her up. I know I'm guilty of the way our relationship was. I could have said no to the companies to be a mom… but I couldn't do it. And probably that's one thing she will hate from me forever"

"Charlie hated me too," she snorted, "no, really. I was never around when he was a kid. I missed all his first. At least that you didn't," he smiled sadly. "Then, when he was six and I was finally stationed here. Well, in the US. I made them move, so we could live together as a family. He hated me so much, because he had to find new friends and adapt to a new school just because his daddy decided so. Then, when I thought everything was water under the bridge, I was moved again, I was stationed for four months when they decided to deploy me for a short time, and he found my secondary gun… I can't tell you everything that went through my mind the moment I learned what happened." He saw her frown, "he found it, and was taking it to his mom when he tripped and the gun fired itself"

"Holy Hannah!" she whispered laying a comforting hand on top of his. He was too far gone into his memory.

"The bullet went through his right lung; he was in the ICU for a month. They said he fell into a deep coma and he was likely not to wake up."

"And you took the mission to Abydos," she joined the dots and he nodded.

"He almost killed himself with my own gun, and I almost killed myself, before I put the situation in perspective. And now, barely four years later no one believes me when I say Charlie hated me. Therefore, there's hope for you and Jess, and you two are already working on it"

"Well, we still have to wait until the Air Force catches whomever is trying to get me. In the meanwhile, she really is better under the safety of her school." She sighed, "How is it that suddenly you are so wise?"

"I'm not wise, I'm just 16 years older than you..." he pointed. "we should go to bed," they both blushed fiercely.

"It's not like we can do much around here," she added, her blush deepening even more, "but sleep, I mean"

"Maybe tomorrow I can show you the library, or you could try to get into one of the town things like pottery," he tried changing subjects before his mind started not to be so helpful

"Pottery?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Sorry, I have no idea from where that came from. We should go to the community center and check what they have. I don't think an hour or two away from here would make it that much of a security issue."

"Well, I will try to stay put as long as I can. I don't want to keep you away from your family longer than I really have to. And even if there's something I could do... It's a risk. Leaving the house means we can be exposed and someone could get the hint. I appreciate the offer, I will try my best not to take anything apart," she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she realized what she did, then blushed and hopped out of the chair then shouted a quick "good night!"

He was too dumbfounded to do anything else but return the goodnight in the same fashion. Then, like the teenager, his mind was accusing him to be, he raised his hand and placed it over the spot where she planted the kiss. Then he shook his head and went back to bed. And that was when his cell phone rung. Groaning, he picked the offending device and looked at the screen, who the hell called at 2345 hours?

"O'Neill?" he frowned

"Jack?"

"Robson?"

"Yeah… Esther told me … here…" the communication was awful, Jack paced trying to get a better reception. But then, he got the words he needed and tried not to freak, "snow storm…ast 3 days…hit town… you way"

"Robson… are you really saying that there's a 3 day long snow storm heading in our way"

"Yeah... snow is piling quic…. That' the report from Mine… roads are closed… you have fuel?"

"I only got enough for one night,"

"Jesus, Jack! … how we manage to get you some... Power lines are down … the Braxton's house." That's when he noticed the wind roaming at the windows, "…save all the fuel you can… Know you can survive this… you alone," Jack tried hard not to groan with the status of the line.

"Esther might have told you I'm not alone"

"Crap! She didn't… good hands with you"

"Thanks." He told Robson before hanging out. Now the only issue was, how to keep his fuel thought for a day going for three. "Crap," he walked and knocked the door to Sam's room, she opened a tired look in her face. "I'm sorry to bother you doc, but there's a snow front coming and we need to use the less possible fuel, if we want to last the 3 days we will be mostly uncommunicated"

"We should move to the living room then, and make a fire. Do you have a way to shut all the rooms, but leave the living room heaters open?" he nodded, "okay, then we should drag our stuff there, and prepare to sleep close to the fire. Warmest clothes on and we can save the fuel to warm only the room and to heat water in case cold gets into us." She provided, he looked at her surprised by her ability to think quickly in a situation like the one they were on.

"I would never believe you would react like this…" he told her in awe, she shrugged blushing, "However, I believe we will be better at the master room, it has a seating area, a fireplace, a bathroom and it can be kept warm. While, the living room is more open... we will lose a lot of heat there." She analyzed the situation, and nodded.

"Okay," she told him not quite convinced. "Should I move my things while you close the heat on the other places? Maybe I can start a fire when I finish?" He nodded, smiling at the offering.

"There's firewood and tinder under the fireplace, tomorrow morning we can bring some more from the shelter," he provided, disappearing towards the other end of the house. She went back to her previous room, tossed in the bag the few things she took out of it and closed it. She turned off the heater in there and soon she was standing in front of the master bedroom's door. She inhaled deeply. "Carter aren't quitters, although things will get way to close in the few days," she muttered to herself before going in.

The room was far from what she imagined, it was very masculine. The lack of feminine touch was evident at first sight. There was a small table for two at one of the corners towards closer to the windows that she figured held a nice view of the lake. The other corner, was hogged by a stone fireplace. The right side wall too was a window, a library and two settees along with a small desk completed that wall and corner. Then she had no choice but to set her eyes in the middle of the room and sighed. She didn't know for sure if it was with hope or disappointment, but it was a sigh nonetheless. The bed was huge and it was perfectly made on one side, the other was somewhat undone. The covers were dark and so were the sheets. The last things she noticed was a door, she walked to it and found herself in what looked like a long dressing room which she supposed ended at the bathroom.

Hearing Jack trip against a table, made her aware that she was staring. So she left her things next to the desk and moved towards the fireplace. She looked around and found some tinder, and moved some logs around and felt around until she found the matches, she hoped those were still good and then she proceeded to turn the tinder in four or five places.

"Huh, I really thought I would come and find you still fighting with the fire," he commented very surprised when he saw the small fire raging. "You took some survival course, didn't you?"

"I… uhm… sort of…" she tried to explain, but she really didn't want to go through that part of her life just now. "So, I guess the other side is mine?" She asked and he frowned.

"Huh?"

"The bed?... Or you prefer to drag the mattress from the guest room?"

"Oh! No! That bed is big enough for the two of us and some more people… that didn't come up right."

"It doesn't matter, Colonel. Probably with more people this wouldn't be so uncomfortable as it is right now," she finished standing up and cleaning her hands against a rug she also found by the fireplace, and smiled awkwardly. She went to the bathroom to wash her hands

"I'm making you uncomfortable?" He asked, coming close to her, when she returned to the room. He bit his tongue not to call her Doc, he thought it would be too cold. Nor Sam, which he thought it would be too personal. She shook her head after looking at him in the eyes.

"No, not you… the situation, I guess."

"I… I'm sorry. Let me know what I can do to make you less uncomfortable…" he started, but she sighed passing a hand through her hair

"We probably should sleep, maybe is all this tiredness speaking."

"Sam…" he called and almost face palmed himself, she inhaled deeply. "Please, do tell me if there's anything I can do to make this easier for you." He added in a whisper, they were close now, very close. She nodded once, biting her lower lip.

"Tell me…is this that easy for you?" she wondered also in a whisper. "Are you really comfortable with this situation, Jack?" Their eyes locked. And he sighed, his hand found her face and her face couldn't help but follow his hand. Then in a swift movement, he closed the distance and embraced her closely to his body, resting his head on her shoulders. He could feel her breath on his neck and her heart beat on his chest. She too, could feel his breath and heart, and she embraced him tightly.

"I wish the situation was this easy outside these walls, Sam. I wish you to have what you deserve. Sadly, I am only a human being, a very flawed one," he whispered in her ear making her shiver.

"It could be this easy, Jack. If we really put our minds to it," she answered. They stood like that until their hearts started to beat steadily again. Then, when they figured out they both had gained some strength from the other, they separated.

"Do you still think this is uncomfortable?" he asked as she walked towards the still done side of the bed. She turned around before settling on her side. A thoughtful expression on her face.

"Maybe, this is one of those rare what if... Maybe this situation is meant to test our resolve, and our strengths… maybe, this is a test to see if alone, we are able to still put everyone before ourselves…." He looked at her pensively, she smiled. "Come to bed, it's not uncomfortable, but whether we pass or fail the test… this will be hard on us."

Following her instructions, he went back to bed. It was once he felt the weight of her body sinking a little the bed on the other side, once he felt the warmth leaving her body, although she was far, once he fully processed he could extend his arm and reach for her and either bring her close to him or roll himself closer to her… that he fully understood exactly how hard it would be.


	22. When dreams and fears are the same

Hello! I don't know how this got so out of hands, but it's longer than usual. So I'm shutting myself now and just telling you: Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 22 – When dreams and fears are the same**

He started to wake up and the first thing he did was smile when he felt the warmth of the body in front of him, then he nuzzled the neck that smelled like heaven and he pressed himself a little closer and felt how perfectly they fitted together… and that made him stop.

He opened his eyes slowly and then alarmed, his eyes widened, especially when the woman in front of him moaned… and his body responded to it.

He was spooning the Doctor!

He tried to regulate his heart rate and hoped she wasn't awake yet. Carefully, he untangled their linked hands and moved slowly away. She sighed and he stopped.

He almost jumped in happiness when she didn't wake up when he finally had managed to leave her side and sit at the end of the bed. He walked to the window and opened it to reveal tons of snow on the floor and still falling. It looked dark, so he was pretty sure she would be waking up soon when the clock hit the 6AM mark.

He went through his morning routine and returned to the bedroom, all warmly showered and clothed. She chose that moment to stir and stretch, eyes closed, tousled hair and a mysterious smile on her face. She opened her eyes when she felt observed and looked around scrubbing her eyes until they fell over his form.

"Morning," she told him, her voice still hoarse, the smile still there.

"Morning," he added softly, "bathroom is all yours"

"Thanks… did I snore? Or something?" She asked as he kept looking at her making her feel extremely self-conscious.

"Nope, not that I noticed at least," he smiled. "How do you feel about omelet's for breakfast?" He asked more to distract himself from her.

"Sounds good, if you wait for me, I'll be ready in 10," she offered standing next to the bed.

"Today's on… me." She turned around with a frown on her face. "What? If you don't trust my cooking I can wait for you…"

"No… it… does this work?" She asked, grabbing the alarm clock beside her side of the bed.

"Yeah, I settled it before going to bed the first time, why?"

"It's says it's 2… so either we didn't sleep for more than a two hours, or this is wrong"

"Huh… it must be wrong." He shrugged, "It sure feels like I've slept more than a couple of hours. Go ahead, I'm going to get started on breakfast." He finished and she nodded, walking towards her suitcase. "You should take part of the dresser it only has the clothes I brought and the ones I've forgotten through the years. Just place your things where you find them comfortable, otherwise they will be wrinkled by the time this storm finishes."

"Uh, thanks… will do."

She felt awkward again after her shower when she started to take her clothes out of her suitcase and move them into the spaces of the wardrobe. A heat settled on her face as the images of her things hanging close to his started to be real.

"What the hell are you thinking of Samantha?" She said to herself and scrubbed her face. She finished as quick as she could and left the space almost as if it was the twilight zone, wondering what Sam-A's reaction would be if she ever mentioned this to her. "She would laugh her head off," she answered, closing the door behind her.

The house was a few degrees colder, and by a few she meant that she was grateful for bringing her warmest clothes around. She followed the sounds until she arrived at the kitchen, two places where halfway set and the smell of coffee was inspiring. She looked to the other side and the view was even more heartwarming, Jack was making his offered omelet, apron an all on him.

"Hey, coffee is ready. And I believe we got orange juice on the fridge"

"Do you want some fruits? I can cut them while you finish…" she offered.

"Sure…" he trailed, he didn't realize how long had taken him to drag his ass there and start making breakfast, but it sure was a while since now the clock in the kitchen marked 2:45. "Oh, about the clock, it was right… I think that somehow we overslept"

"What? I haven't overslept since when I went through several days without sleeping when…" she shut her mouth, then realizing she was about to say something she wasn't supposed to. "Anyway, I was really, really tired the last time that happened."

"Maybe it was the fact that we actually felt safe here, since it's almost impossible for anyone to have followed us, or for anyone to reach here with this weather," … or maybe it was they slept together…his mind provided.

"It could be…" she trailed.

"Ahm, I thought we could stay here for breakfast since the kitchen always is somewhat hotter after cooking. But if you are cold, we can go back to the room"

"Kitchen is good…" she smiled at him. Both continued with their own tasks and moved along until everything was set, feeling oddly comfortable with the domesticity of it all.

"The storm seems to have stopped," she commented after a while.

"Yeah, I'll call Joe or Robson later to ask him what the status. But they are probably busy reestablishing all the things in town first and then they will start to come out towards here. Best case scenario, we will have the freedom to go to town tomorrow. That's of course if the storm doesn't start again."

"Okay," she answered worrying her lower lip.

"Is that bad to be stuck with me?" he teased. She smiled.

"Nah, au contraire mon cher Colonel, I was searching for worst case scenario to know how long I could possibly blame our closeness to the storm," she added with a mischievous glint and made his eyes widen with such blunt affirmation, and then … she laughed wholeheartedly, "Jesus, you should have seen your face!"

"It's not funny, Doctor"

"But it was!"

"Just for that joke I'll leave you to do dishes… and you know what's bad about being stuck like this? No hot water," and she pouted, and he was offered and sold. "If we do it together, it will be faster"

"I'll like that," she finished.

They finished quickly and then headed back to the room to warm up a little. He started the fire again, while she tried to find something to read between the available books. She grabbed one and settled on one of the settees, tucking her legs under her, making her look smaller than she really was. He smiled fondly at her, but she didn't notice it. Looking around, he walked to stand in front of the window towards the lake.

"Whatcha looking?" she asked from her position, seeing him half hidden between the drapes.

"Well, the storm most definitively ended, the sun is somewhat out."

"Really?"

"Yup"

"Maybe you should leave the drapes open so we can see when it starts to set, you mentioned it was nice"

"It will make the room a bit colder," he pointed.

"Then we can sit closer to the fire," she shrugged unbending herself and walking towards the fireplace. She looked around as if studying the place and then she dropped herself on the floor, her back against the end of the bed. "See, all set"

"That's because you are young and elastic," he muttered making her laugh.

"You aren't old." She pointed making him snort.

"Yeah, sure… I'm only 16 years older"

"Like you aren't more fit that most youngsters out there," she replied rolling her eyes

"Job benefits." He pointed, "or maybe job needs"

"Well, whatever it is, I'm pretty sure you survived roughed environments than a floor in front of a fireplace with a ceiling above your head and a bed on your back," she pointed with eyebrows raised. "So, are you going to sit?"

"I think I will go for a beer, this is too close to the fire and it will go good with it"

"Can I have one?" she asked, and he frowned.

"You? A beer?"

"Yeah… why not?"

"It's not something … classy"

"But it's nice… and we can even test all of them!" he raised his eyebrow

"I don't think that's wise, Doc."

"Maybe it isn't, but is not like people can see us being silly," she dismissed. "if you won't bring me one, I can get one myself, I do know where they are"

"Okay, okay, we can test them all…" he surrendered. "I'm going to put the other brands in the fridge, some of them are really bad if not cold"

When he returned with two bottles she was still in the same position he left her, the main difference was that the book she had before was nowhere to be seen and that she had one leg stretched in front of her, and one leg curled up to her chest. And she was looking at the fire as if it was the most mysterious thing in the world. He cleared his throat, and she turned her face around and smiled.

"Here, this one was cold enough," he said, giving her a bottle. Then he sat beside her. "So, what now?"

"I don't know, we have a toast, maybe?" She shrugged again, "let's toast… to the snowstorm!" she finished seriously.

"Really? That's what you are toasting for?" He asked with a smile.

"It is my toast; you can have yours after" she laughed.

"Okay then. To the snow storm!" They clinked their bottles and both took a deep sip of them. She grimaced when the bitter taste got her and he snorted. "I thought you liked it"

"I never said that…" she pointed, taking another sip, "now is your turn"

"Okay… so… to weird friendships" she raised her eyebrow but followed his words nonetheless.

Soon, they were drunk, the sun had set and they didn't even realize, they only centered on keeping the fire burning and the bottles coming, and the laughs and the dumb toast going. They were very drunk, the empty bottles lined down around them, until they both were forced to move to the kitchen to get some more.

"I believe we had the last ones," Jack told her.

"Oh nooo!" she pouted. And he grabbed a chair and started to rummage through all the kitchen cabinets.

"Aha! I can treat you with whisky," Jack excited voice slurred a little as he spoke, "it's not the fancy hundred years you have in your office…" she snorted and laughed, her eyes shining with a drunken glint.

"I used to get drunk over wine boxes…" she commented laughing wholeheartedly. Her laugh so pure he couldn't help but join her. They walked into the room, where they had started their expedition to get rid of all the alcohol available at his house, the cold now completely forgotten.

At some point the dragged the mattress from the other room to sit more comfortably in front of the fire, and now she slumped back in it. He passed her the bottled and stretched his back. She smiled brightly at him and his heart skipped a beat. The light from the fire gave her and ethereal glow, and her eyes were shinning more than he ever saw before.

"Coooomeee…" she said, kneeling over the mattress and then grabbing his hand, and pulling him down.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed, falling on his knees in front of her, managing somehow to let the glasses, he still carried fall on the bed safely while using it to get a semblance of equilibrium. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight and he glared mockingly. "Here I am, trying to feed you and you laugh at me," he sighed.

"Technically… you are trying to make drunk. Which I believe I already am. Or is it to make me drink?" She squinted, then grinned… "Anyhow… there's no food involved so there's no feed," she pointed.

"Scientist! … They got to make it technical eveeery time," he raised his hands and then he saw her move towards the glasses and he slapped her hand playfully. But her other hand was already in the bottle.

"Hey! It's not a bad one! You know? … You gotta love a good Jack," she said huskily talking about the bottle, but making him shiver with the combination of her voice and her words. She blushed when she noticed what she had said and bit her lower lip, making him groan.

"Samantha," he said in a warning tone, she took a deep breath, feeling a warmth expanding through her body. She turned away from him. Once she thought she was in control of her again, she turned with a bright smile. His senses were so dulled in his current state, that he couldn't pinpoint if he had hurt her with his reaction or not.

"I'm sorry," she said in a sorrowful voice, a sad self-deprecating smile on her face. And he felt his heart shrink and break at the sight of it. During the time they had spent together, he had seen her smile like that so many times that he couldn't bare being the one who caused it to appear.

"No, I'm sorry," he added shifting a little, his knees complaining with the action. But he didn't care, his hand found her face and caressed it softly. She closed her eyes, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she opened her eyes.

There were so many things going on in those eyes of her that he couldn't help but shift his body closer to hers. She noticed the warmth of his body before she confirmed how close they really were, then she licked her lips. He followed the movement of her tongue with a whimper, which had called her attention back to him.

Their gaze locked for a few moments, feelings and wants shining brightly on them. Her eyes went down to his lips, and his eyes did the same on her face. She moved closer, leaving a small breach of an inch or two between them. And then with a deep inhaled, they both moved in.

And it what seemed like a practiced movement, they both turned their faces away in the last possible second, resting their heads in each other shoulder embarrassed. It was pretty obvious they somehow had sobered up in that almost kiss, but sobering up and deal with it were two different things.

And then she started to laugh uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Jack," she said between laughs, and then she clung to him tightly and her laugh became soft sobs.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said at the same time, he didn't laugh. But he had to take a deep breath to reign over the emotions which menaced to take control of him. When she stopped laughing, he thought they would be able to move, but then he felt the way she clung to him, the soft tremble of her body and the damp spot on his shoulder, and he realized she was sobbing. "It's not your fault, Sam," he whispered, but only managed to make her embrace him more tightly. His knees complained again and he somehow managed to accommodate both of them in a lay down position, her face buried somewhere in his shoulder.

After a while, she calmed down and sat. With her back towards him, she cleaned the trail of tears with one hand and stood up embracing herself. She has been often grateful for how her face reacted to tears. Yes, her nose would be reddish and her eyes puffier, but nothing so bad that would be noticeable in the morning. But he was there now, she would see her like that. She squared her shoulders, inhaled deeply and turned around to face him.

When she clung to him, he managed to understand she was sobbing, but she was so silent, he wouldn't be able to say she was crying hard. However, what he saw, the moment she turned around to face him, told him she actually cried her heart out on his shoulder, and it surprised him. She didn't make a sound, and that made him clench his jaws tightly, thinking about how many times she found herself in a situation that needed a crying catharsis to be able to do it without making anyone the wiser. He gasped.

She turned away, believing that the gasp was an answer on how bad she was at controlling herself. However, really affected by his thoughts, he moved. He stood up, his knees cracking with the movement, he walked on wobbly knees until he reached her and without even stopping to consider anything, he embraced her from behind.

She sighed thankfully and leaned against him, making him hold her closer. She opened her eyes and couldn't help but gasp. Confused by the sound, he raised his head and his eyes found hers over the reflection of the two of them on the window's glass. She smiled sadly and he did the same.

"We can't," she whispered, grabbing and caressing a small trinket she often wore with a hand. By the way she said it, she didn't know if she was trying to reassure him or to convince herself.

"I know," he whispered tiredly back.

"We both have families to think about," they said at once and huffed. She turned around in his embrace. He lowered his head into the crook of her neck.

"I didn't want this to happen, Jack," she whispered, "I tried… I tried really hard not to… care about you"

"I did my best too, Sam… but you are too…"

"Please don't say perfect," she snorted.

"I wouldn't." He whispered, and moved to be able to face her, to say what he wanted to say straight into her eyes. "You are too broken, Sam," she frowned. She never considered that to be one of her qualities, or even a quality. She always thought about being broken as her biggest flaw. He moved his hand to try to make her frown disappear out of her face with a soft caress. "Being broken makes you one of the most beautiful souls I've ever met. You have been broken and you stitched yourself together, somehow, and somehow, you didn't lose what makes you unique, and that makes you really, really brave. And I admire that in you"

"Thank you, no one had ever said something so beautiful to me," she whispered hiding her face in his chest again. Then she groaned, "this is going to be really awkward in the morning, isn't?" he hummed in agreement.

"I guess I can always ask for that replacement, maybe they will take your recommendation to send Teal'c, you will be back to your team and Teal'c and I, we will be good, we both will be able to sense them ahead giving us a tactical advantage"

"There's no need to go to those lengths, Sam"

"Isn't? Do you believe that after this… whatever happened tonight, we can be back to Doctor and Colonel?" she asked half doubtfully, half hopefully.

"I guess we can always try it first"

"But would it be worth? Aren't our lives complex enough without this… thing… between us?" she asked concerned.

"Sam…" he told her firmly and she looked at him, "you'll always be worth it," he affirmed and she had to gulp the lump that had formed in her throat. "And I can't remember a moment when there wasn't this thing between us," he pointed.

"We are getting sappy," she giggled, "maybe is the alcohol talking," she justified their actions, knowing quite well she had sobered up the moment his eyes laid on hers a few seconds before her brain kicked in.

"Yeah, it's probably the alcohol," he agreed, although he also knew he wasn't drunk when he almost kissed her. "We should go to bed now… I mean, sleep it off!" She giggled, but neither moved.

"Do you think…" she started later, "nah, it doesn't matter…" she said untangling herself from him.

"What?" He asked stopping her from getting too far away, "talk to me, Sam…" She turned around and looked at him somewhat embarrassed, before sighing.

"Would you hold me tonight?" She let out and lowered her head not able to meet his eyes after such request.

Once more he closed the space separating them, and raised her head. She was surprised by his expression, a crooked smile and lots of understanding in his eyes, and something more that she wasn't prepared to name.

"Always," he whispered.

They didn't say anything else, all their feelings too raw to start a discussion. But he tugged her until they both started to move towards the bed, she sat moved the covers and slide over it, while he turned the lights off. She didn't move so he shrugged and took a seat beside her. Her lips curled up when his hand pressed hers slightly. Then she stretched fully on the bed, her back towards the side in which he was currently seated. He followed her lead and stretched too, she moved until there was no space between them and patted around to find his hand and dragged it over her waist. She sighed when she felt secure in his arms and he smiled softly at this weird side of her he got to watch.

If someone told him a year before he would be spooning with a scientist, he might have killed the messenger. In the morning, he was scared when he found himself doing it, and now, he was very happy to consciously doing not even 24hs later.

For the first time in a long while, she didn't need to be brain tired or bodily exhausted. She simply drifted to sleep, Jack didn't even notice when that happened because he too was asleep by then.

When he woke up the next day, he did to a colder room and an empty space, he thought that maybe he had imagined it all, but he saw the bottles around the room and the mattress on the floor, he waited to see if she was maybe in the shower but no sounds came from there. He frowned and grabbed a warmer jacket and shoes to check around. Trying not to panic again like the first night.

He padded towards the kitchen when he heard some noises coming from there, and he found her cutting something, while several piles of already cut vegetables waited on the other side, he found endearing that she was doing such a mundane thing with the same concentration level she used to take things apart.

"Whatcha doing?" He asked, amused, making her yelp. She turned around, menacing glare, a knife in a hand and defensive posture. The glint in her eyes betrayed her stand.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She questioned, losing her posture and smirking.

"Killing plants?" He answered, making her laugh. God, he loved her laugh!

"I'm making dinner," she told him turning back to what she was doing before.

"Dinner? Shouldn't we have a hearty breakfast or maybe a small lunch, before?"

"According to that…" she trailed pointing to the clock, "we will be doing all three of them at once," she shrugged.

"1600? Darn… we should have stopped after the first couple of coronas and never change to the bud's…" he joked

"Or the Guiness, or the Coors or the millers… who on this Earth actually keeps so many brands of beer on a cabin in the woods?"

"Says the woman who keeps an unhealthy amount of wines and whiskeys in every single house she owns…"

"It's no in every one... Just the ones I use, and it is practical," she defended herself.

"So it is keeping beer…" he smiled.

"Daniel likes coronas because they don't get to his head so quickly," she commented turning around to cut some more.

"Sarah likes coors... Lite…" he grimaced, "she's even worse than Daniel, she only drinks one and she's done"

"No wonder there were only six of them," she huffed.

"T, he loves the taste of the millers… it doesn't do a thing to him, but he does like the taste"

"So, are you the bud's or the Guinness drinker?" She asked, remembering the other two brands they had tasted.

"Andrews, the transitional member of SG-1 is the one who goes for Bud's"

"Transitional?"

"Yup… before this we had issues filling up the fourth position. He's SG-11, but whenever our newest officer is kicked out, he's assigned back to SG-1"

"Then why you don't assign him on a permanent basis?"

"The kid loves SG-11. It's a scientific team, and he's not the second there. Too much responsibility on SG-1 he says. That and he loves not to be in the infirmary two out of three missions" he pointed.

"Hmm, I heard SG1 attracts issues… and yes, you were right, the grapevine at SGC is one of the fastest around," she smiled. While stirring the pot.

"So you heard then…"

"I did. I had to go there before every two or three months, to get results, tech and apply fixes for the gate. By the moment I leave, I know everything that happened since the last time I was there. Now that I'm forced to be there twice a month, it's really faster"

"I won't doubt you on that!" He snorted. "Hey, do you need some help?"

"Nope… It will be ready in 10"

"I thought you didn't cook," he told her remembering the chat they had.

"Most people do," she shrugged, "I cook rarely, as you might have noticed there's no need for me to do it. I do it when I take a week off or something like that." The phone rung and he disappeared to get it, he returned no too long after with a smile on his face, and turned the heat on in the kitchen.

"Something happened?" She asked

"Yup, they just finished with town and they will be starting to clean the external ways"

"That's wonderful, at least we won't be stuck in too close quarters" she pointed at his dismayed expression.

"Yeah," he commented, trying to sound not as down as he fell.

"So, do you come here often? With your team, I mean?"

"No, I actually don't come here often. I must confess you are the first one to visit." He sighed and she stopped everything to look at him.

"How come?"

"Well, I always used this as an escape of sorts. You know? My man cave..." She laughed

"Okay… I can relate to that"

"Your labs?"

"Yeah… I mean you are the only one who was in most of them besides me. I mean, they all know I am there or where they are, but then never come around. Except that day for Jess birthday, but that was a different situation…" she shrugged. "Anyhow, we were talking about you for once… what about the beers then?"

"The last time I was here, it was a beautiful day and I was fishing. But I wanted to share it with someone, so I thought about bringing them all for a long weekend or something. We were supposed to come the weekend that I got assigned to you. I asked Robson to please bring the beers and stock my fridge…." He trailed

"And I messed up with your plans, I'm sorry"

"It's not your fault… and the guys understood. Sarah and Charlie were a bit disappointed, they really wanted to know why I come here to be alone"

"It doesn't mean I'm not sorry. I know how this has messed up with your life."

"Like yours didn't end messed up too," he told her.

"Okay... Dinner is ready. I do hope you like garlic, at least on your chicken"

"I do… this smells amazing"

"Well, I do hope it tastes amazing too," she winked and soon the only thing heard was the movement of the cutlery over the dishes.

"I can barely move now," he commented when he finished his second serve, "you are really good at this too, not that I should be impressed by it"

"It's kind of like math, you just need to know the measure of everything and it always works out," she explained.

"You are the math nerd!" They laughed and started cleaning the dishes when his cell phone went out again. He frowned

"O'Neill"

"Jack? Why didn't you call me before trying to get out? I mean I told you we were working on it."

"Joe? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I just found your truck parked halfway between your home and the Myers."

"What?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure the Myers don't have this kind of truck and their kid doesn't visit on winter. And there's nothing more than your house going that way. So, I'm safely assuming is yours."

"Right," he frowned. "Hey, how long until we are able to get out of here?"

"Give me an hour or two and I'll be knocking at your door, Jack."

"Thanks, Joe," he hung and searched her eyes. "Someone knows we are here, and probably got here or halfway here, Sam. I don't know how they found us, but in two hours we must be ready to leave the cabin or we will become sitting ducks"

"Okay," she told him calmly but moved faster around, things finished, they both moved to get their things ready. Once she finished, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hammond"

"There are reasons to believe we have been found. We won't risk getting ambushed here. We will be heading towards the only place left in which we know we will be hidden and safe."

"We will be waiting for you then." She thanked him and hung the call.

"Is all set," she told him and he nodded. He heard Joe Robson's truck before he saw it. And with that, he started to put the fire off. Once he did, he washed his hands and was about to move to check around the house to see if anything else was missing when her hand found his chest and stopped him from moving.

"This probably will be the last chance I have to do this," she added sadly, and then she enveloped him in her arms and he did the same. "How lame of me," she whispered, "but this is as far as I am willing to risk it, Jack"

"I know," he whispered back and held her tighter. Then the bell rang and they were forced to separate again.


	23. Secret out, rescue in

Hey people, sorry… life kind of got in the way xD… and this was a fairly complex chapter to write. Believe it or not you will be reading about episodes from the 3rd season on this universe… well, you get me. (I hope). That's all from me now…

Enjoy!

M.

PS... sorry if this one sucks /-\

 **Chapter 23– Secret out, rescue in.**

To say Joe was surprised with what he found in Jack's cabin was an understatement. Not only Jack had a truck parked right in front, but he also got to meet the mysterious visitor he had mentioned and Esther hadn't. Face to face with Sam, Joe understood the mischievous smile of the old woman gave him when he asked. And then, not 20 minutes after he arrived, they were getting out of the cabin for some sort of emergency Jack hadn't mentioned having when he called. It was odd, but well, he knew Jack wasn't your regular guy anyway. Joe also found odd, that the truck he saw before was nowhere to be seen.

Unbeknownst to the old man, on the truck behind him, Jack and Sam had squinted all the way through town searching for a lead on the whereabouts of the truck and if possible a not so friendly chat with the driver. But they weren't lucky. Sighing, they left town towards their newest destination.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, there are at least 15hs from the cabin to there… what about the rental?" He asked, once they returned back to the truck after a quick stop several hours later

"Don't worry 'bout the rental, we can drop it in Colorado. No big deal," she dismissed. "It's only money… and don't even start to look at me like that, Colonel," she looked at him bemused.

"Like what?"

"You know? When you look at me like I'm a few fries short of a happy meal…"

"You didn't…" he said, laughing, she raised her eyebrow and grinned.

"I didn't… what?" She asked in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"You know I hate clichés!" He whined, yes. He whined and made her giggle.

"That's not a cliché… it's a saying." She pointed when he glared at her…. "And I happen to like French fries… we should stop for some in the next one," he raised his eyebrow

"How on Earth, one goes from car rental talking to ask the driver to stop for fries?" He wondered out loud. She shrugged.

"I don't know! You started…."

"I? You mentioned the happy meal…" he pointed

"I could have said a few cokes short of a six pack… oh! Diet soda... That's what I want with my fries"

"And people say I'm the one who's a few cards short of a full deck…"

"I thought you hated clichés…" she pointed. "Let me know when you want me driving"

"You want to drive?" She shrugged, "okay… we both drive, but I will push to stop somewhere to sleep and make sure no one is following us"

"You think they are?" She asked, frowning

"You think they aren't?" He inquired with a surprised look.

"Well…. I didn't notice anyone following. I mean, there were no cars stopping after us, the two previous stops. And I haven't seen the same plate once. So I would say no, they are not," he squinted.

"How the hell do you know how someone following you looks like?" She shrugged

"Common sense? I read a lot, and sometimes I even watch movies, you know? It's not like it's something too weird to know" He looked at her not quite convinced.

"Are you hiding something from me?" He asked curiously.

"Should I?' She asked and he frowned.

"Well, it's not like you have to tell me everything…" he shrugged.

"So you want to stop to sleep?" She asked not giving him time to dwell on the vagueness of her answer. He looked at her from the corner of his eye finding her behavior somewhat abnormal. But he dismissed it as something due to the current situation.

"Well, it will be safer if we do stop and sleep, two tired people crossing states doesn't really sound like a successful plan"

"Kay,"

"There's a thing though…" he trailed not looking at her.

"What?" She wondered

"We will have to share…."

"Mm Kay"

"No complaints? No questions?"

"You are the one leading this thing. If you say jump, shouldn't I say how high?" She asked with a mischievous smile.

"Are we really back to that kind of conversation?" He groaned and she grinned.

"Expect it every time you become too serious… It is a long way to travel with grumpy," she smiled softly at him and he smiled back. "Anyhow, we already shared for a while, and we are both grown ups"

"There's that too"

It was 1AM, at least 4 stops for coffee and two changes of driver later, when Jack blinked, trying to get himself to concentrate on the road in front of him. Weather conditions didn't help that much. His only passenger and charge softly breathing curled up in the passenger seat, wasn't the most convenient thing to listen to when he was that tired. It was then when he spotted an exit that lead to a motel, he hoped it wasn't one of the really beaten up ones.

Her body moved to one side without her control, and she woke up from her nap to notice they were getting out of the highway, confused, she looked at the clock and then at Jack wondering what was going on. Then she saw the sign for the motel and she stirred a little and back to a regular seated position.

"Are we stopping to sleep now?" She asked him and he hummed in agreement. "That's good… being horizontal sounds extremely good right now," he turned around for a second to look at her and she blushed, "I mean, a bed will be good for us… argh! For sleep I mean," she huffed and he laughed.

"You can keep going and try to find out how far can you dig yourself in," he smiled as he parked the truck

"Yeah, yeah… whatever…" she told him between yawns, as she got herself out and opened the back door to get her small bag. He did the same carrying his own duffel and then, taking her out of her hands. "Now you are all chivalrous, but when you could have stopped me from burying myself in my own words…. Nope, no Jack to save me from myself…." She added dramatically, then she turned around with a sweet smile, "good evening, we need a room please?"

"Sure, something special ma'am?"

"A decent bed, hot water and no balconies because I might push him from one." She added the smile still in place. The kid at the front desk looked from Sam to Jack worriedly.

"She's joking…" Jack added rolling his eyes. But Sam smile just became a little more mischievous, "you know? No balcony actually sounds good"

They noticed they forgot to specify two beds the moment they got to the room and found a single bed and the bell boy who had accompanied them told them 'Enjoy your night Mr and Mrs O'Reilly' while wriggling his eyebrows.

"I believe you were right," he commented after he closed the door. She was already moving her things to the bathroom to get a warm shower before sleeping.

"About?"

"People following us…"

"That's good. It means we don't need to take turns to sleep," she shouted over the now closed door of the bathroom. Jack sighed and went through his own things and waited for her to come out to get himself ready to sleep. Later, he found her sitting on one side of the bed, reading a book while she waited for him to come out. "Ready?" She asked and he nodded, "then good night, Colonel"

"Night, doctor"

With the lights out, and the tiredness of driving they found themselves asleep very soon. Also quite soon their bodies found each other and were comfortable spooning without them knowing it. That morning Sam woke up first, and couldn't fully understand the sounds she was listening to until she opened one eye and saw she was sleeping half way over the Colonel. She blushed fiercely because there was no way she would be able to untangle herself without waking him up, and she was right. The moment she tried to recover her hand, which was softly held atop his heart, his hand closed around hers.

"Whatcha' doing?" He asked hoarsely.

"Hum… trying to avoid even more awkwardness?" She answered in the same manner

"Probably too late for such thing." He commented softly

"I realize… we should get moving," she commented, but in a contradictory act, she snuggled closer to him. "Holy Hannah you are comfy"

"Hmm"

An hour passed before they both had fully awakened this time, jumping apart quickly. He gave her the chance to use the bathroom first and half an hour later they were out of the motel and back on route. The night was settling deep when they finally arrived to Cheyenne Mountain.

They both knew they were sent almost straight to the VIP room's due to the amount of yawning they did while trying to explain to Hammond what had happened. However, the moment their bodies touched their own beds they lay completely awake for hours before sleep finally had caught up with them.

The sour mood mix of the lack of sleep and the lack of company, accompanied them until they found each other in the mess hall. They looked the exhausted face of the other.

"We can't keep doing this to each other," she whispered before taking a quick sip of her coffee, he nodded.

"We can work together, and you know it," he pointed.

"Yes, but should we? Should we put ourselves through this knowing that no matter what we only would be complicating ourselves, and basically playing with fire"

"I always loved a good fire"

"So did I… but we should stop before we get burned," she pointed looking at him straight into his eyes, he kept the contest for a while before nodding.

"After breakfast, we go to the General and you can ask for a replacement," he told her trying not to sound disappointed. She smiled sadly at him

"I will miss you, Jack," she whispered softly once she couldn't find anything to drag breakfast

"And I you, Sam…" he finished with a crooked smile.

They walked slowly and side by side on their way to the General's office, and they were only a few meters away when an off world activation got all base attention. Jack almost ran towards the control room, while Sam followed him at a slower pace. She got there in time to hear, "It's the Tok'ra" and "open the iris". Then she moved closer to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her father as he returned, but was only met by another Tok'ra.

"Maybe is dad," Jack told her and she smiled hopefully. But then, three Tok'ra came through and none of them was her father. Jack sighed the moment he saw who was the known member of the group and was about to tell her to join him down there to introduce her to them when she left out a surprised

"Martouf?" She whispered before she could help it. "I know him, or rather,… Jolinar did," she explained as she saw his confused glance.

"Oh, come… I'm going to introduce you if you feel like it…" She nodded and followed him

"Colonel O'Neill," the alien greeted him and looked surprised at Sam.

"Marty… where's dad?" He asked first thing. At least Jacob Carter usually carried good news, while Martouf… he and that other woman, mostly brought issues.

"Ah… that's the reason why I am here, Colonel." He didn't explain a thing and kept looking weirdly at Sam which made him unnerved. "I'm Martouf from the Tok'ra" he introduced himself, and Jack tried not to snort because he was pretty sure that if that moment happened in a cartoon, he would see bright red hearts floating around the alien's head.

"Marty, this is Doctor Carter," his eyes widened.

"As in Jacob Carter's daughter?" He asked and Jack nodded, "It's an honor to meet you, I'm afraid I am a messenger of bad news." Jack couldn't help the sigh.

"Medical checkup first, bad news later," Jack told him, pinching the bridge of his nose, before escorting the alien to the infirmary. Janet greeted them all with a smile, and a syringe in her hand. And then she saw how Martouf was looking at Sam, who was frowning concentrated in something not visible, and the worried glance the Colonel was giving both alien and Doctor alike, and then she shouted list of all the test the alien was about to be put through. Jack gave her a big smile when he noticed there were more than a few not regular ones in the middle. She winked at him confirming that she had in fact did it on purpose, before shooing them away and close the curtains to give the alien some sort of privacy.

"What's wrong?" He asked her when they were in the (almost) quiet hallway. She shrugged.

"It's just…" she huffed, "confusing. I think Jolinar and he had something going on…"

"The snake you got before and Marty?" He asked, confused.

"I think so…" she frowned. "But don't mind me, what's going on with you?"

"Me? Nothing…" he dismissed and she raised an eyebrow

"Right, because you weren't glaring the poor guy the whole time"

"I wasn't glaring him"

"Yeah, sure you weren't. What's the story?" She inquired, making him huff.

"Well..." He trailed hoping Janet to come out any minute now, but it didn't happen, "it's just whenever they come it's something wrong or something they want us to do for them, but if we ask for help, they just dismiss us like we haven't cut a couple of snake heads"

"Hummm… let's say I believe you," she squinted. Then she moved to sit on one of the chairs put in the hallway for waiting. A nurse told them that they should move because the test would take some time and so they did, each in different places to avoid the questions running through their minds. They found each other, the alien, Teal'c and Daniel, at least two hours later, when Martouf had managed to convince Janet that the news he had where even more important than her tests. When he mentioned Jacob Carter being lost they all sat a little straighter in their chairs. The Tok'ra calmly explained what they knew and what they were planning until he stopped himself and looked around uncomfortably.

"What?" Jack asked, eyebrow raised and highly annoyed, he was waiting the other shoe to fall and the first one didn't fall so nicely.

"I'm sorry Samantha. I know this must be difficult," he turned towards her and took her hand on his. "Once captured, Selmak and Jacob… your father… would have been brutally tortured. But Sokar would rather see his victims suffer than die. However, if they are alive, we have a chance on saving the galaxy and you will be once again free to roam Earth as you did before the blending with Jolinar."

"So we are talking about a rescue mission here"

"Unfortunately, to our knowledge, no one has ever escaped from Netu"

"Oh," Jack commented somberly. Martouf looked at Sam again.

"No one, except for Jolinar"

"Oh," Sam added. They both looked somewhat uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation, so Daniel took over the conversation, allowing them to regain some sort of control.

"How did Jolinar get out?" Jack asked when he had a chance. Martouf looked at him, then at Sam and blushed.

"She never said, she … she was found unconscious and injured in a Tel'tak floating adrift." Sam didn't need the following words to know how bad exactly it was, "Her recovery was long and painful and she refused to speak of how she escaped"

"And you didn't push her?"

"I implored her, but she would not say," Sam rubbed her face tiredly with her hands.

"I only carried her for a short while, I have nothing more than a few scattered flashes of her memories, but nothing quite like what you are describing"

"We understand you are in the knowledge of a piece of technology that we possess to access the mind?" They all nodded. "If you are willing to use it, then we can provide you with one and help you remember her memories"

"Sir," Jack asked for the General intervention. "Even if she manages to remember, we will need a couple more units"

"A full incursion will be impossible, Colonel O'Neill, and we don't have enough time to get to Selmak and help Samantha to remember Jolinar. For this she must come with us"

"I agree," Sam answered.

"What?"

"You heard me, Colonel. I agree Martouf. I don't think I have another choice but join you"

"Doctor, you are not prepared for a mission of this kind."

"It's my father, my memories that need to be picked and prodded, I have to go"

"I'm not taking a civilian to somewhere where they are claiming no one have ever returned from!" Jack growled.

"What are you saying Jack?" Daniel intervened, "I'm interested in what you are going to say since I too am a civilian"

"I'm taking SG-1 with me, sir. But I can't risk having an unprepared civilian playing military just because"

"So, if I was military you wouldn't complain? Or is because I am a woman?" She snapped

"You could be a transgender for all that I care, but if you aren't trained for a mission, how can I take you to take such risks? What should I say to your daughter when she asks me why her mother got injured under my care?" he inquired while trying to get his point across. He knew Sam could be stubborn, but so was he.

"I see…" she answered. "I still must go"

"Doctor…" he warned.

"Colonel…" she countered.

"Then, I have no choice but to do this:" General Hammond interrupted the glaring contest of the duo, "Taking in consideration the regulations you are under," Jack gulped noticing he was out of line, "Consider yourself recalled to duty Major Carter. Colonel, I can assure you, Major Carter has enough experience and training to keep herself in line as any military personnel. Major Carter, once this mission ends you will be returned to your previous status as established in the regulations under which you are" she nodded once.

"What?" Jack asked, frowning

"When?" Daniel asked curiously

"Gentleman, this is not the time nor the place, there's a mission that needs to be started." Hammond looked the silent conversation occurring between the Colonel and the newly recalled Major and added, "before you do, contact Sam-A and Jack-A to see what news they have"

"But General…"

"That's an order Colonel, once that's done, we will reconvene to mark the start time of this mission. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," was firmly answered by Sam, a bewildered Jack added a mumbled, "yes, sir" a few moments later.

He followed her to the lab in which the mirror had found its final home, she sauntered in and started the thing, the signal pointing to the right reality came soon and she threw their invented caller and turned around to find him glaring at her.

"What?" She asked him curiously.

"Really? 'What' is all you have to say?"

"It's not like I hid that from you on purpose, Colonel"

"Is that so Major?" he hissed.

"Oh crap! He found out," came Sam-A's voice, and they both turned around to face her.

"You knew?" Jack asked even more bewildered.

"Of course, it was a major decision… no pun intended." She grinned, "If she chose another thing we wouldn't be this much closer."

"Are you really telling me, that somehow you know why she has some secret military rank she couldn't talk about?"

"Uhm… yes?" came Jack-A's voice. "It's not like she could have told you, Jack." He pointed, "Just like you can't talk that much about your earlier days in the Air Force"

"And how the hell you know?" Jack growled at Jack-A, who huffed.

"I'm married to her?" He shrugged, "Actually it came up in the early days when she was brought up to my team. I wasn't sure I wanted her in, she was too young and inexperienced according to me… and then, I got her file…. And there was that stuff she drunk in P3X-595"

"Hey! You swore you would never bring that one back!" Sam-A whined and Jack-A winked at her.

"It's like I haven't told anyone but me. And give him a break, he just found out your no so squeaky clean past"

"Oh, yeah, you are right. Anyways, I highly doubt you called to let us know you found out… so, Martouf is around there?" Sam-A pointed

"How do you know?" Jack squinted at them and Sam gasped.

"They were coming to ask the same thing," Sam told him and the alternate's nodded.

"Do you believe him?" Sam-A asked soon

"Well, I don't really think we have much choice. If Jolinar was the only person to escape Netu, and we both know those memories are still there somewhere… then if we want dad to survive and escape… we have to go."

"I thought you would say that," Jack-A frowned. They exchanged a few more details each knew from Martouf. And the women shared some memories, Sam couldn't help the grimace that formed when Sam-A confirmed her that Marty and Jolinar had a long relationship before. And both Jack's rolled their eyes, muttering, "As if he looks at you all bright eyed because of Jolinar".

Not too long later, they were standing in front of the blue puddle of the gate, side by side. All the others already moving too cross when she stopped and he stopped too.

"What?" She shook her head

"I was just thinking that if we die out there now at least, our families will return to their peace"

"That's just not the best thought to go with"

"Isn't?" She added morosely. "What about… a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step," she concluded with a pensive glance.

"Oh no, you didn't"

"What?" She feigned innocent.

"No clichés, Major… that's an order" and she giggled, "no giggles either"

"Sir, yes, sir," she answered seriously.

"Hum, this thing about you being officially my second has its perks," he told her before pushing her through.

They walked the distance separating them from the beaten up Tel'tak that Jolinar had used, Sam recognized it somehow. They exchanged some details about the ship and the mission before they moved to the cargo area where they were settling themselves until their arrival at their destination. Jack kept stealing glances towards Sam, with the bdu's on he could actually see the Major normally hidden in the Doctor, and his gut told him he should trust her abilities as much as he trusted her brain. Martouf joined them later, a memory recall device in hand. They all winced when the thing was inserted in her temple.

"For your privacy, we won't activate the screen. You will have to describe what you see when you see it." Martouf explained and she nodded. Then, she had to close her eyes when several memories assaulted her, the day her mother died, the day she found out she was pregnant, her first killing.

"Oh God," she inhaled sharply, Jack and Daniel both exchanged a distressed glance. "I'm stuck in my own past," she explained, opening one eye slightly. Martouf nodded.

"Then listen to me, Samantha. Think of Jolinar, the last night we spent together before she was captured by Sokar," with those words she started to get lost in Jolinar's memories and started to explain what she was seeing, Jack clenched his jaw tightly… and that was all that Daniel needed to see, to know his friend was in too deep. "You stayed up all night," she finished, rosy cheeks and soft smile. Martouf cleared his throat.

"I have to say this," he whispered, "I understand my personal relationship with Jolinar might be a source of discomfort for you. From what I know about you from your father, I know you can… deal… with it. From what I know of Jolinar… I know your life was worth being saved. I need you to understand, Samantha, it was always my belief that Jolinar kept her experience on Netu a secret because she believed it might come between us. But you don't have to protect me… we have to protect you," She nodded and he left.

She laid flat on the floor in her sleeping bag, she looked so innocent to him that he couldn't help himself but to place his own sleeping bag beside her. Daniel raised his eyebrow slightly and Jack shrugged.

"In case she wakes up with a memory," he explained making the archeologist nod and then, he too placed his sleeping bag beside her. It must have been only an hour or two when he woke up, her soft moaning and the way she was thrashing when she normally didn't make a sound was what caused him to sit in his place. The force she was applying to her jaw and the little drop of blood coming out of her lips was what prompted him to move. He shook her slowly.

"Doctor…" he tried, then he moved her with a little more force, and she complained and gasped for air, "Sam… wake up.." She blinked a couple times before she gained enough focus to understand where she was. She sat quickly her senses fully kicking in… and then, she noticed the cargo bay was still darkened.

"What happened?" She asked hoarsely.

"I believe you were having a bad memory…" he frowned. And so did she… "Are her memories that bad?" She bit her lower lip and shook her head.

"I remember… what I remembered was a memory of my own." She whispered, moving her body to sit against the wall as support, he followed her and did the same.

"I can't tell you much…" she whispered, "I was… I had to join because otherwise there wouldn't be anyone able to test the products on the specific environment they needed them tested. And even if I hired someone, I wouldn't feel comfortable sending someone to a place I wouldn't go… so I did."

"I see…"

"Then, they wouldn't let me go. And somehow we got to the regulations I am under."

"And that's…"

"Summing it up, I can do my test in the environments they want. If the people on base disagrees because I'm civilian, then I can use my rank and prove I have 'rights' to be there. But, it also means that I can be recalled to put my abilities to use, "she grimaced remembering those situations

"And they have recalled you before…"

"Yes, hence my current rank"

"Hum… no wonder you took only 5 minutes to shower and knew how to survive on the extreme cold…" she smiled.

"I did some really messed up things, as Jack-A told you… my past is not as squeaky clean as one might believe. This," she said, tapping the device, "isn't helping with my own memories. This…" she told him, pointing between them, "isn't helping with my memories either"

"Oh"

"Yeah…"

"I can call Marty to keep you accompanied," she winced. "What?"

"Well, from what I saw, he's not going to like that much what I have to say"


	24. Intertwined fates

**Hellooooo…. For those confused Jack-A and Sam-A are the Sam and Jack from the alternative reality they encountered before, they had agreed to keep in touch and they do whenever the situation deserves it, like checking if they got more information from their Marty.**

 **Anyhow! Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **PS: We are getting closer to the end! And no, I don't really like this chapter L**

 **Chapter 24 – Intertwined fates.**

Comfortably sat on the floor against the walls of the cargo bay, they exchanged a tired smile, and then, out of the blue, Jack left out a small snort.

"What?" She asked, frowning, surprised by his action.

"We are going to hell…" He laughed dryly, "this is the first time I can imagine you going to hell… literally," she smiled at him and then she scrunched her face in pain when a memory hit her, her usually calm features contorted painfully and she groaned. And then, her scream pierced the silence of the ship.

"Shut it off! Shut it off!" she panted between screams while feeling completely unable to open her eyes or control her own body.

Jack moved, kneeling close to her side, not quite knowing what to do, He knew he couldn't take the memory device by himself, not when it was still turned on. Thankfully, her screams not only woke up Daniel, but called Martouf to the cargo area.

"What's happening?" The archeologist asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily loud enough to be heard over her moans. Martouf kneeled in front of her, not quite knowing what was happening or how to help her.

"Shut if off!" She screamed, when she had a chance and gasped for air.

"Do it now!" Jack ordered, watching her struggle with something they couldn't really see.

As soon as the device was off, Sam collapsed sideways and fell mostly on top of Jack. She felt him, and felt secure, but she was still panting hard and was yet to find the strength to open her eyes.

"She was tortured… badly…." She added almost in a whisper, the revelation made the alien feel guilty of bringing such an experience to the Doctor.

"I'm sorry, Samantha, the device can create very realistic situations," Martouf apologized softly under the glare of Jack

"Did I mentioned I don't like surprises?" Jack growled

"We needed the device at its maximum level to bring the memories faster," the alien explained calmly, "I can lower the settings, since now it appears to be working," He added, and Sam exhaled.

"Do it," she added and Martouf looked around to confirm the others agreed with her choice. Two almost imperceptible nods were given and he started the device again. She closed her eyes and found herself, remembering the hot environment of Netu and describing to them what little she could remember. "That's it… that's all I got, I don't remember anymore," she told them opening her eyes after a while

Sam didn't know for sure who was more disappointed, her, SG-1 or Martouf. Trying to assess the situation that her comment created, she made eye contact with Jack and she immediately understood, it didn't matter… whatever she managed to get or not, he would back her up.

"We will arrive soon…" Marty pointed adding pressure to her shoulders

"I know, I'm sorry… but you have to take into consideration that I might not be able to do this, I might not be able to find the memories we need," she added not quite convinced of their chances.

"You have to!"

"Hey, Marty… a word?" Jack commanded, and the alien nodded in agreement. They walked away and when he thought they were far away enough he turned around. "You're pushing a little hard, don't ya think?"

"There's not much time left…" The alien pointed.

"It's her father. She knows the stakes…" He defended her.

"If she doesn't remember, I won't allow any of you to accompany me down to the surface, because anyone who goes down there will likely no return. And as yourself stated during the briefing, she has a child she can't leave without a mother. And I also possess the knowledge that you have a child too and I'm not intending to leave him fatherless either."

"So that's your take? And what? You are going down … And? What happens to Sokar's plan to attack the universe? How are we supposed to stop him from killing her? Huh?"

"I will attempt to locate Selmak and communicate any relevant information. Then you will return to Vorash and relay it to the Tok'ra, with whatever information we might acquire, you will be better prepared to act"

"And we are supposed to leave you and Jacob rot down there?"

"With no means of escape…."

"All right, let's set this straight. First, I know the Doctor far better than you do, and she won't allow you to go without her, not when her father is the one captured, she won't care if she has your permission or not. Secondly, I won't let her go behind you without us, nor I will let you go alone… so back off, you are going to go with us or not going at all. And third, if Jolinar escaped… then it can be done again."

"And if she doesn't remember the way?"

"Then we will make a way on our own," he stated closing the conversation by returning to the cargo bay. Soon they were orbiting Netu, and flying down on their pods. And not all the description Sam had given them about the heat prepared them for the environment of the moon. And as they moved towards the center of the building, a bunker of damnation of sorts, the heat kept increasing and so did the smell of dead and burning bodies. The moment the smell got to her nostrils, she remembered it, and with it, she remembered a name and then, she screwed up by saying it out loud.

"I thought there were no weapons allowed in here, so far I saw a staff weapon and a hand device," Daniel said once they were escorted to the pit later, when Bynar ordered them to be sent down.

"Bynar is the appointed leader, he's allowed to have those for his first prime." She mentioned, she still found weird she knew all of that when she never knew all of it before. "I'm sorry, I know he is the key to escape, I just…" she flinched, "I'm sorry…" she added again, this time looking at Martouf, "I think he unknowingly helped her escape. But I'm sure he must know how," she huffed and then she heard her father and rushed to his side "Dad?"

"Oh hell, this is really hell…" Jacob muttered. "Are you real?"

"Yup," Jack answered.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yeah… that too…"

She looked at Jack worried, her father didn't look good. Martouf worried expression did nothing to help her calm her nerves. There wasn't much to be done, not in their current situation, thus they tried to keep Jacob comfortable enough until some way to escape occurred to them.

With the liquid Martouf was giving him as a mean of healing, he improved enough to be able to speak, and he did, he used his almost depleted energies to tell them what he had found. And huge army, plans to attack both the other Goa'ulds and Earth, his plans on what to do with Jolinar when he got her… it didn't look good. They started to rely all the information back to Teal'c when Bynar first prime came for Sam. Jack tried to avoid the Doctor to go the hands of a Goa'uld alone, but was shoved back, and she got out of her hiding place and crawled close enough to him.

"I have to go with him, Jack," she told him gaining his complete attention.

"No!" he almost growled

"I have to…" she pleaded, "it's the only chance we might have to learn something more about how she did it"

"Sam…" he warned in a pleading way, getting not only her attention but all of them. It was pretty obvious something else was going on with the two of them, a short silent conversation later. He nodded and she stood up.

They found, on her return that there were several facts they didn't take into account on their plans. Yes, they knew the chances were Jacob would be in a really bad condition, they knew they had to find their way out and that it wouldn't be an easy task and they knew they would probably kill a couple of people to be able to escape. What they didn't expect was Apophis killing Bynar, or him getting to them before they managed to escape.

"Is this what they grapevine names 'Sg-1 Luck?'" the Doctor muttered once they were all in their knees and the Goa'uld reclaimed his name

"Yeah…." Jack grimaced.

"Your mate, Amaunet, is dead," Daniel pointed petulantly

"So it is true, then it also is true that the Shol'va killed her."

"Wouldn't that wrap things up nice for you, would it?" Jack smirked, Apophis crooked his head, ignoring him and then, smirked.

"Are the Tau'ri so weak now that they need to call women for their fights?" he asked, walking towards Sam and grabbing her from her chin. "You will make a beautiful Queen," she tried hard not to scrunch up her face, but she knew she was failing the moment his smile got bigger.

"Leave her out of this! She's got nothing you want," Daniel told him

"Really? Then what is she doing here?" He laughed, "Don't worry, I will find out. Take them to the pit"

For the first time since they arrived, they were checked and somehow they didn't find the device hidden behind her ear, but they did find the controller that Martouf had on himself. Then they were pushed back to the cell.

"Okey… I'll accept any ideas… or comments…I'll even take clichés at this point," Jack huffed, and they all sat there trying to come up with a way out and found themselves completely lost. Until they came for her again, Jack couldn't avoid but being himself and try to protect her. However, the goons had their orders and he only managed to get shot.

"Darn! I really hope he doesn't torture her or snake her …" Jack growled mostly to keep his mind out of his own pain, and away of conjuring images of a tortured Sam

It seemed like ages until she was dragged back to the pit, and this time Jack was the one called to Apophis newly acquired office. Jack only hoped the unconscious Doctor wasn't severely hurt, because he really, really didn't want to explain to Jess how her mother got injured.

"Jack?" she mumbled first thing when she started to wake up. She was really tired…

"They took him when they left you," Daniel pointed

"Shit! They gave me something called the blood of Sokar… added to the device, it was very realistic, I'm pretty sure I didn't give anything away… but it's not nice, I was stuck in my own past as his means to get to my present and pressure me to confess something about Earth, and iris codes and such…"

"Damn!" Daniel commented with a grimace, "Jack's past…"

"It's not nice… I know," she told him, "but he's a smart man, he will figure it out, I know. But you have to be ready, when they come for you… just keep in mind they will use the same technique on you."

As she predicted, one by one they were brought to Apophis, Sam was dragged back up moments after they took Martouf, and when they were back, she looked far worse than he did. When finally, Daniel came, he looked in better condition than most of them. His mischievous smile told them he managed something none of them did and then he presented them with the com.

"Teal'c? It's Doctor Carter…" she said to the comm, Teal'c answered her, but he also gave them the worst news so far. They were locked at the pit and they only had 12 minutes to escape.

"So… anyone has a plan?" Jack asked again. Sam looked around and smiled.

"I do, help me fill this with rocks," she said, moving towards a hole. When it exploded as they hurried up towards the main room, in hopes they would be transported out of the moon and hopefully back in the cargo bay. And somehow, they had managed it.

"We have escaped," announced Teal'c a moment later entering the cargo bay where all the involved lay scattered in different positions.

"Ice tea… air conditioning … water…" Jack mentioned and Teal'c moved to pass them some of the much needed liquid.

"So this too is the luck of SG-1?" Sam asked tiredly making them all laugh.

"By the way, what are you doing here?" Jacob asked her now looking better.

"Well, it's a long story"

"Major Carter was of great help to provide the otherwise lost knowledge of the escaping route" Martouf provided.

"Major Carter?" Jacob asked, raising his eyebrow.

"That's another long story," she grimaced, "and kind of classified…"

"Oh…" he answered, but Sam was pretty sure he was going to harass Hammond to get to know the details.

It was later that night, when they all had used the small facilities of the vessel to get somewhat cleaner, and they had almost depleted the water supply and most of them were already succumbing to the much needed rest that Sam came to sit beside Jack.

"How's dad?" He asked her softly.

"It's getting better, the healing device really helped, but he needs to rest some more. None of them were too energized to fix him completely, and I felt I was doing more damage when I tried," she shrugged.

"Hum, I have to say … Major…." He added with a small smile and bumped her shoulders, "that I'm pretty impressed with your skills. Who would have thought you had it in you?" she squinted.

"I'm not too sure if that's a compliment or not… but as I told you before, I too endured training and missions that no other officer would have done"

"Really? I thought that was my specialty…" Jack frowned

"Yeah, well, when those special are stuck in stinky prisons or in recovery after escaping them, someone else has to take the lead," she mentioned.

"You are my replacement?" he asked with widened eyes, she just shrugged.

"I don't know, Colonel, I'm just a Major." She smiled and winked at him, "Anyhow, I just wanted to thank you for all you did, I mean, you got shot to try to protect me… I really appreciate it… not you getting shot, I mean…" he placed his finger over her lips and she stopped talking.

"Now you can't blame me, I did stop you from digging your own words grave any further." He commented and lowered his finger, she smiled gratefully, but blushed nonetheless. "It's a good thing that Sokar exploded. You are now free… as you wanted…" he added half pouting. She bit her lower lip.

"I could confess something, however, I must stop myself until we are back at the SGC and my orders are finished," she told him. Then she patted his knee carefully, "Good night, Colonel"

"Good night, Major"

"Well, at least I'm saved, I don't need to have that conversation with Hammond," Jack sighed sadly to himself. Before walking to his designated sleeping space to find his much needed sleep.

Travelling around had always screwed up his internal clock, so arriving at 10 pm at Earth after landing in Vorash sunny morning left him feeling somewhat giddy. Seeing they were all mostly functional after their medical checkups, Hammond decided it was a good moment to start the debriefing, and they tried not to complain.

"Let's start by returning Major Carter to her former status, Major, hereby and according to your regulations, you are now a civilian." He commented and she smiled gratefully. "Now, first let me inform you that the operatives who had remained here were attacked and they managed to capture another two Jaffa from Sokar. However, they are yet to talk."

"Really?" She asked and Hammond nodded

"There are even better news, sir." Jack smiled widely, "A Tok'ra operative who was on Sokar's planet confirmed his demise. Therefore, you are free, Doctor"

"In fact…" Jacob added with a grimace, he didn't want to spoil the happiness on his daughter's face, "I'm sorry, Sam. But chances are that months happen until they find out here that Sokar is gone. We don't believe any other system lord will come to try and find you, since you were only a target because of Jolinar's memories. But you still aren't out"

"What are you saying, dad?"

"I had this conversation with the council when we arrived and they agreed that we can't risk having you roaming free while there's still a chance of you being attacked and tortured for information. Even if Sokar is no more, the information you have can be sold to almost any other system lord out there, even to Apophis."

"Are you really saying that the attacks might go on?" She asked crestfallen

"Yes…"

"Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Frasier mentioned an injury on your leg?"

"It's been taken care of by the Tok'ra, sir … almost as good as new," he smiled.

"Well then, that means you will be able to return home with the Carters. I'm assuming you are staying for a short while, Jacob?"

"I will," Jacob nodded.

"Well, now that all the little subjects are out of the way, who will start explaining what happened during your mission?"

One by one they talked about what had transpired on the hellish moon, how they found themselves in the pit, then tortured. How they had managed to escape, and also how the whole mission turned out with the death of Sokar (and the appearance of Apophis). Then, when they finally were unable to say anything else, and yawnings were starting to appear, they were dismissed.

Daniel, Teal'c, Hammond and even Jacob raised almost instantaneously from their seats and walked away towards their rooms while Colonel and Doctor remained seated. For a short while their eyes followed the movements of the others until they finally locked on each other. Jack smiled sadly at her, before raising.

"I guess it's time," he whispered, she nodded doubtfully, "I'm going to do it in the morning, when I can come up with a decent excuse," he told her, "shall I accompany you to your room one last time?" She nodded.

They walked in silence the whole distance to her room, and once she was in her room and he was about to leave, once he turned around and waited for her door to close in his presence for the last time…. her hand grabbed his and pulled him to stay, the current that never failed to make his body shiver when their bodies so much as grazed roamed him making him turn around.

The image of Sam, with her eyes closed and seemingly enjoying what she was feeling, burned hard in his brain. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him, he didn't dare to name what he saw in that smile, and then, she spoke.

"I need to talk to you… it won't take long," she told him, moving away from the door and pointing to the seating area of the VIP room. He nodded and sat, not quite daring or knowing what to say.

"We survived hell, Jack…" she commented, seating herself in the chair in front of him, and smiled at their joined hands that neither seemed to want to release.

"What are you saying?" he whispered back, his thumb caressing softly her hand, the movement alone making her inhale deeply.

"I think we can survive a couple of months, we are strong enough," she told him.

"Are we?"

"I do not dare to hurt you, or Charlie…" she whispered. "But… I don't dare to let you go, not right now… not after," she waved her free hand, "I almost lost you, Jack… and I realize you aren't mine to begin with," she bit her lower lip, before inhaling deeply, her eyes closed, "I … I need you… I need you around to make me remember…"

He didn't know what she wanted to remember, but if she was willing to try he wouldn't be the one to be afraid to do it. He knew now she was stronger than he first thought, he knew she wouldn't break so easily… but he was also sure as hell he didn't want to be the one who managed to break her.

"Sam…" he started, she raised her eyes to find his, "I don't think this is the right … thing to do. I feel we both are too messed up right now to make this kind of decisions, and we probably will be for a couple days, we just passed through a lot and I think we reached the decision more in freight than anything else…." She closed her eyes, waiting for his final words, when he was going to tell her that he couldn't do it, that he was going to talk with Hammond right there and split them asap. "I do not dare to hurt you or Jess, not when you are already vulnerable or when I still have a promise to fulfill with her, I told her I was going to bring you back safe from the trip … and now, I plan to do it."

"Are you saying?"

"Yes, I'm going to return with you and your father and we will be testing ourselves. However, if I find that I can't continue, I will come and ask for a replacement, and I'm sure as hell expect the same of you," he added gravely. She smiled brightly.

"No problem!" she mocked saluted him, "I really just need to get used to the idea that I'm not going to see you every morning for my runs, and hey, it's not like it will be forever now"

"Yeah…was that it?" he asked her and she nodded. "Then I should get going." He walked to the door and turned around on the last moment, "Good night… Doctor"

"Good night… Colonel"

And then, he did something that surprised both, he leaned down and kissed her. The corner of his mouth found the start of hers while he left a soft kiss on her cheek. Then, as if noticing what he had done, he straightened and opening the door, he left the room, wondering what the hell had possessed him to do it, and sticking his tongue towards the corner where he touched the corner of her lips.

The ghostly feel of his lips on her cheek, because she dare not to believe how close it was from her lips, followed her to the much needed sleep and it was there every time she looked at him or thought of him, the desire for it to be more than a soft caress of goodnight also made an appearance. But she wouldn't tell a soul, she knew she was capable of dealing with her own shortcomings, especially if they granted her more time with him before losing him forever.

"Hey, you are spacey today," he commented, bringing her back from her train of thoughts that apparently were stuck in that loop for a week already, "as a matter of fact, you've been spacey since we returned, is something the matter?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah," she trailed dismissively, but his concerned eyes didn't waver. 'You disconcert me, your faint kiss brings to my mind things I shouldn't be thinking, you brought some feelings back to me,' she thought while her eyes searched his. "I'm just worried about all the time I've lost," she added, making him frown, "now I'm further behind in many experiments," she concluded hoping her final words would take his eyes out of hers. But as it didn't, she did. She moved herself to continue doing what she was doing before, feeling a little frustrated by the no so little fact that she couldn't quite remember what it was she was doing, but when she pretended she did he didn't comment anymore.

Truth was, he too was feeling a little odd since their return, he felt he was going crazy trying to control his every little movement or thought, it was becoming more and more distracted in trying to control his life than at living it. He understood then, who she was feeling before him, before the whole situation, when all that she said and did was under a microscope. She understood now better why she was the way she was. He understood her…or so he thought. But he also understood, they should part before one or both ended up doing more damage to each other than they could ever fix, and that was how, a week later and after the end of their scheduled meeting that he found himself knocking at Hammond's door, and then walking in and standing in front of the man who he knew well enough to be worried about what he thought along with the outcome of the meeting.

"General Hammond, sir…" he started feeling somewhat confident. However, the moment the General looked at him, he gulped.

"Colonel? What can I do for you?" Hammond asked, trying to bring him back to the present from wherever he was currently in. Jack blanched a little and then inhaled deeply and at once, he let it out.

"General, I need you to reassign me here… asap," the way George eyebrows went halfway up his brow was all the hint Jack needed to know he surprised the old man.

"Is there something wrong? Are they treating you badly? Do you think the mission is not good enough anymore?" Hammond questioned

"No, sir… I just _need_ to be reassigned," he pleaded.

"You know I wasn't the one who assigned you there on the first place, son… and I will need a hell of a good reason to take you out. I will need not only to convince the brass, but also the Tok'ra… do you have one?"

"I don't know, sir. Pick one!... anything will do, I'm willing to download another thing to my brain if that's what I need to get out of it," Jack asked sounding desperate.

"Colonel, please take a seat… and please, tell me the real reason why, and if I deem it as a valid reason, then I will plead your case," Jack stopped pacing and plopped himself on the chair, rubbing his face and groaning. Then he exhaled.

"Alright, sir. I will tell you the damn reason, but you will have to keep it in this room. I swear, sir. This, what I'm about to tell you… it can't leave this room," Hammond didn't know for sure if it was the words, the fear in Jack's eyes or even his demeanor when saying it, but he found himself nodding in agreement.

"Jack, whatever it is… I won't be the one disclosing it"

"It's Sam… I mean the Doctor," he corrected quickly, but the General's eyebrow was already up, he sighed once more, and looked straight at him, "I…geez, this should be easier… George, I care for her, I care for Sam, more than I'm supposed to"

"I was afraid this could happen," Hammond confessed, "that's why I wasn't in favor of you being her guardian"

"What?"

"Well, I understand from the many times she explained it to me, that alternate realities are a reflex of what was or wasn't chosen. And in many, she chose you. You were married and had a child"

"I don't see your point, I mean in that one Charlie killed himself with my weapon and so did Sarah, and I still have both of them here…"

"In the one Daniel visited, he mentioned to you that both he and Doctor Carter were dead?"

"He mentioned he and a Doctor were dead, I didn't know who Carter was until I met her for this…"

"Right, when I mentioned this mission to Daniel, to let him know he would be jumping teams, he confessed he left something out of his report. There, you were engaged to Doctor Carter, and Charlie was part of the genesis list"

"I'm still missing your point"

"I have no point Jack, I'm just stating facts. But you still could just be meant to be friends…" Hammond tried.

"We tried… But I have a marriage and a family and she was those too, and we can't screw up of families, not if we somehow can avoid it"

"You've talked"

"How could we not?"

"I see…" he looked at him, "does she care for you too?"


	25. To love is to let go(?)

Yeah, I know… It's been a long way, that's right. Complex relationships are always subjected to long ways. This is one describes one of them. Don't worry, this chapter probably has enough sappy moments for now. I do hope I manage to add a real piece of fluff before this one ends.

Enjoy!

M.

For SamNJackAlways… we always hope. ;)

PS: Be warned, apparently I'm also bad at describing clothing items! (who the hell named them anyways?)

 **Chapter 25 - To love is to let go(?).**

He found her in her lab, one he learned existed just when he found out of her. And apparently that room was the sole responsible on the why they hadn't crossed paths before, even when they both were stuck on the mountain several times in the same period of time over the course of the Stargate program.

He smiled when she saw her, she was gracefully seated, back straight on a tall stool and her head was over a medium size magnifying glass. She, as per usual, was concentrated in whatever experiment she was running, her hands softly but firmly moved her tools over the piece currently placed in front of her.

He always found amazing the sure but delicate way her hands moved, it didn't matter if it was to dissect alien technology to its basis, or to create human tech, or to talk and explain things only she could understand at once with enough patient to repeat herself again if someone got lost, or even those rare moments in which she got to caress softly Jess hair when she fell asleep over her in the car. No matter what she was doing, once he got caught in the spell of her hands, he always wondered how it would feel to be the subject for her to explore.

Since their mission started he learned he could observe her for what it seemed forever; but he also managed to time that "forever" to the second before she noticed it. After all, they had danced that piece many times before. Therefore, with the second approaching fast, shaking his head to gain control over his thoughts, he cleared his throat to both avoid startling her and that awkward moment when he fell on the spot after being caught.

"Hey, here you are!" He told her when she stopped moving her hands and slowly settled her tools down. She smiled, having felt him looking at her before she was expecting him to talk as he always did. She often pretended she didn't felt him until her body itched and she couldn't help but turn around. But once she did, she always turned with a bright smile. This time, her expression quickly changed when she saw his.

"What's wrong?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"Hum… nothing really"

"Don't do that, don't lie to me…" she told him firmly. The way her eyes softened betrayed her apparent angriness.

"Aren't you busy? I mean, I can come back later…" he attempted to avoid the situation.

"For you? Never… especially not when you come with such an expression," she affirmed, turning her stool around and patting the one beside her. "Close the door and talk to me…" He hmmed and almost dragged himself closer to the stool, then he saw there was a corner of the lab, between her table and the far wall where both could fit in and was hidden enough that they would feel secure, he pointed her to it. She smiled brightly, understanding that for some reason, he needed to feel secure and that corner was going to do for now. She jumped down, walked to the corner and plopped herself on the floor, giving him enough space to choose where he would sit. He shook his head at her childlike movements, but followed her to the floor.

He picked his side and sat with his back to the wall. She was curious and wanted to have the chance to assess his expressions for better understand what was going on in his mind. So she moved around and sat with her legs crisscrossed at first and with her back against the table, Jack's legs stretched between her hip and the wall, and she understood that it could take a while, so she also extended her legs, locking him between the side of her legs and the wall while her big eyes searched his. He sighed.

"The table used to be further back, and I used to have a cot here, so I wouldn't need to leave when I was too tired to go home, or still in the middle of experiments. Then, I found what I needed and brought those two pieces at the entrance," she pointed to a couple of equipment at the other end of the wall, "and the cot didn't fit anymore. I think Catherine annoyed General West enough for him to give me a room not long after that," She told him just to give him more time to put his ideas in order. Then when she thought he was almost there, she continued, "anyhow, I doubt you came here to listen to why we have this space to seat today…" she trailed and he nodded in agreement, but didn't say a word and she waited.

"I don't know from where to start this…" he confessed in a whisper lowering his eyes to his hands which rested on top of his lap. She caressed his hair before she could even think of it.

"What about…" she trailed, when he looked at her surprised by her actions, "the beginning?" She asked patiently and he assessed her. Then, he nodded.

"I hated you…" he left out searching her eyes, she didn't flinch, "I absolutely abhorred the idea of having to take care of you, a pesky scientist for crying out loud. And then… then you entered the room, and your voice, your appearance... the pair of balls you showed in that meeting, all of that told me this mission wouldn't be an absolute nightmare… and I didn't hate you so badly anymore. I only loathed you and the situation you put me in. And then, you came up to me and told me all those good things you planned for my son, and not only you planned it, you did it…. And at first I wasn't sure about you, I thought you were trying to buy us out… but then, I saw you, behind all of those things you say and do, behind all those layers you cover yourself into, I saw you… and as you might know now…." He sighed, "I stopped loathing you and started to care about you… I care about you, Samantha Carter… far more than I'm supposed to." He confessed, looking at her straight to her soul and he didn't know what the hell did he do wrong as he saw a lone tear falling away from her eyes.

"I loathed you, Colonel…" she started with a huff, "I hated that you were forced into my life as if I wasn't capable to take care of it on my own, as if all the time I spent doing martial arts and then at ROTC and all those missions I went for the USAF were all nothing, but I also knew you weren't the one to blame. It took me some time, but I understood that, in my father's position, I, too, would be asking for the very best to take care of Jess, and that was you. That is you… and then, I started to know you… Jack… not the Colonel or the façade you put, but you. The family man, the hero, the one who will stand for anything he doesn't find fair, the one I care for…that's correct, Jack… I too, care for you… far more than I'm supposed to," she finished biting her lower lip, "however, I know this is not why you are here, for this you could have told me before and you wouldn't look as you do now… what happened? What did you do?" she asked calmly collecting her thoughts, and trying not to build more walls since she knew wouldn't last past the conversation.

"I've talked with Hammond…" he answered and she inhaled deeply, then she nodded.

"Good"

"What?" he asked, confused, he expected at least some questions or some shouting. Then he thought it again, this... she… she wasn't Sarah, and he knew Sam, he saw her dealing with critical things and never raised her voice. He saw the sad smile on her face, while he blinked, trying to make his mind understand who was he thinking about, and bringing down some walls, he knew he needed to break in order to get to the end of the conversation he had just started.

"Good," she crooked her head, and leaned forward, putting her weight on her half folded legs, and gave him a heartbreaking smile. "Although, I would have loved to keep you beside me as long as I could, I realize, as I told to you two weeks ago, you aren't mine, you don't belong with me… at least, not here… not now… and I also realize that trying to keep us together while not being fully ourselves was a crazy stint, we would have exploded after a while. And such thing could never return a good outcome," she shrugged when he opened his mouth to speak and continued, "I hoped you would come to me first though, as I was going to. But I guess that the order of the factors at the end doesn't affect the outcome. We are meant to be apart now and I accept it, just like I know you do," she told him, moving to grab his hand into hers and giving them a slight squeeze. "But know that, no matter what happens, I will always care for you, Jack… and you can always count on me"

"I... Thanks," he answered, returning the squeeze, hoping that between their exchange and what he was trying to express on his eyes, she could find in her a way to forgive him for what he had done, when she smiled at him and nodded, he left out the breath he was holding.

"Now, on a less sappy matter," she started moving back to rest against the desk, "you should take into consideration that even if you move back, you should wait for Charlie to finish his year before forcing him back. If you move him now, it will be trying to make him fit in on a school that probably won't be on the same page he's currently at, and making him go through the whole inconvenience of being the new guy at this point of the year, which by experience I know isn't good for anyone's psyche."

"I can't ask you that…" he pointed knowing by looking at her what she was hinting.

"Nonsense, I can offer you this, Jack… because I also care for Charlie and he's a smart boy who has a bright future ahead of him." She raised her hand to stop him, "I already paid the school for the whole year in advance, so money isn't the issue here. The issue is his studies and I believe he should be allowed to stay. I think Sarah won't accept to leave him 'on my clutches' or as an intern, but I'm prepared to offer her to stay at the condo as she did at the beginning of this mess. That way Charlie will be able to finish his year and have a fresh start on the next one, Sarah will be close to him, and you can always visit them without having to cross paths with me. If you want to see Jess, then when you visit your family, tell Charlie to call her to join you. I'll make sure Philips drops her when you get there and picks her when you are leaving. I'm also offering you a plane, so you can visit them whenever you want… you know that a plane for me is nothing much, just like money. And no, I'm not trying to buy you or Charlie out," he smiled, knowing by all she said that she too had come to talk to Hammond.

"I know, Sam. You do realize you don't have to do this, right?" he inquired softly and she nodded.

"Yeah, but I want to…" she bit her lower lip, "Look, I can't give you what I really want to give you, Jack. So I will settle for giving Charlie and by extend to you, the best that I can, and if that means I have to stand out of the way and do it without interfering, I will be doing it, because that's how much you really mean to me and I know how much he means to you"

"How will I be ever able to pay you back, Sam?"

"You already did, Jack. You cared for me," she told him with her eyes full of tears, "even when no one else did"

With that, he moved forward and brought her to his chest, and he knew she was crying for sure when he felt the wet spots on his shirt. And when that happened, he also found out he was crying.

"I will always care for you Sam," he whispered and she nodded against his chest.

"I know"

They didn't know for sure if it was minutes or hours since they sat there, what they did knew was that the moment they found the strength to stand up, it would be all done. They would be parting ways and things would have to change again for good, they would have to part for good.

And the moment came with a knock at her door, she groaned from her position against him and he sighed above her head. Then she moved away and stood up and extended her hand to help him stand up. They fixed themselves, hoping whomever was outside didn't pick on what had transpired in. She sat on her stool again and grabbed her tools, surprisingly, her hands didn't tremble. Jack walked to the door and opened it, leaving space for Teal'c to come in, the Colonel almost sighed in relief when he found the stoic Jaffa outside the door.

"T? What can we do for you?"  
"O'Neill," he bowed politely, "it is I who ask how am I to be of service. General Hammond mentioned, I will be taking your place until all Sokar's men are captured."

"That's a smart solution, Teal'c," the Doctor facing him from her spot at the stool, "since both you and I can feel them, I should be easier for both of us to spot them." She smiled and that was it… that was how she found herself followed around by Teal'c and missing the restless silent company of the Colonel.

Weeks passed by and nothing else happened, the marked meetings came but he wasn't there by her side, or at the meetings even. She found herself missing the calm, the safety and the way he drove her crazy with his restless hands moving things in her office, but she continued moving along. Each day she needed less time in the shower, each passing day she cried less. Not because she missed him less, but because she was learning to cope with not having him around. She noticed the change in Jess, just like Jess noticed her change.

"You love Jack, don't you?" her daughter asked weeks later, when she had sneaked into her mother's room and into her bed and she found herself being spooned by Sam like she hadn't in a long time. The safety of her mother's arms allowed her to take the courage to ask.

"What?" She asked, frowning, "why would you say something like that? Why would you ask?"

"Mom…" she told her, turning around, "I know you don't love, dad. I know you have divorced him, even if the press still doesn't know."

"What? How?" she asked, alarmed, then worried.

"I was called to the psychologist's office at school," Jess scrunched her face in disgust, "apparently, your divorce should have given me an anxiety attack or something."

"Oh God, I didn't know how to tell you. And your father agreed that it was something we should tell you together… we just never managed to work out a schedule," she explained horrified, but Jess shrugged.

"I didn't by the way, I mean, how could I suffer something if I knew you acted it out for the press, if I grew up knowing you were together mostly because it was easier for you both and for your companies and … for me. I understand that, mom. It took me a while, but I understood it, thanks to Jack. I don't blame you… nor can I blame dad." She inhaled deeply, "I do have to confess that if it wasn't for Jack, I would have never known how you look in love. Or how love looks like and that's not something light"

"I…"

"Don't worry, I also know you didn't know how love looks like until he arrived, because otherwise, I wouldn't understand why we are currently in this situation… and I want to let you know, that I'm here… If you ever need to speak," she added finally, and Sam smiled brightly.

"When did you become such a lovely, caring and smart girl?"

"I became like this, watching you, and thanks to you, mom." She finished giving her a kiss on the cheek and jumping out of the bed with a childish laugh and throwing the pillow over Sam's head. "Let's go to the beach!"

And with that, all the worries she had over her daughter and the situation started almost a full year ago were closed. However, there still was an issue she wasn't able to fix by herself, there still weren't any closer to catch Sokar's people, even though between her and Teal'c were able to grab a couple of Jaffa's who had tried to approach her.

On the other side of the country, with the help of O'Neill's strategical mind, the agents inside the company had managed to get a copy of the servers, once that was in their hands, with the help of a couple of experts, they had managed to alter the company's records to obtain an order to intervene it, since finding an encryption system in the Goa'uld language wasn't enough. What they found was an even bigger task, all the back end was highly encrypted several times over, and none of their own could easily undo it. Thankfully, as they too were interested, the Tok'ra had accepted helping with the contents.

But even all that still didn't help with one thing.

"You called, General?" Jack asked entering the small office.

"Yes, Colonel…" he said, putting down the files he was reading. "we have a situation"

"Goa'uld? Tok'ra? Asgard?" he inquired, he had tried and managed to bury himself in work when he was in Colorado, and invest himself in his family when he traveled to San Diego. He found then that, even if he missed her every single moment, he could continue to live without her.

"None… purely human at the moment," Hammond told him and he frowned. "As you well know your request was approved and both supported and respected so far"

"My request?" he asked cautiously, both wanting and not wanting to be related to her.

"Of being transferred back to the SGC…" Hammond affirmed, "along with your request of Teal'c to be put in your previous spot"

"Yeah, it made sense General. The big guy can sense them and alert the authorities, and I wasn't wrong, it did help"

"And I agreed with your assessment"

"But…" he interrupted.

"However… there's an upcoming ball at the White House. Doctor Carter can't refuse, and no matter how much of a threat Teal'c isn't, they won't allow him in there. Not with so many international diplomats assisting."

"Oh…" he answered somewhat crestfallen, "so you want me to recommend you another replacement for this occasion?" he tried not to sound bitter when he asked that, but he failed. He just couldn't control his mood when he thought of sending any other men to take care of her.

"No, Colonel," he stopped and looked at the man in front of him, and sighed, "I'm ordering you to present yourself at Andrews on Thursday 1600 hours. You will be taken to San Diego to relieve Teal'c of his duties. On Friday, Doctor Carter and you will fly to DC. Sunday afternoon, both of you will flight to Las Vegas where you will escort her to Area 51. Once in there, Teal'c will take the position again and you will be flown back to Andrews"

"But General…"

"It's an order, Colonel"

"Sir, yes, sir"

And that was how he found himself standing in front of a house he had never seen before, he looked at it from the outside and he thought he finally got to see a regular sized house on her property. But he was wrong.

"Just take any room you like," she suggested softly, walking away from him as fast as she could. It was amazing how easily she fell again into their messed up relationship, as if they've never parted. And still, she also found herself watching him more and wanting to touch him more, and fighting with herself more. As she was concentrated on her thoughts, they walked out of the garage and into a living room kind of room.

"There's a pool over there," she pointed absentmindedly towards the back of the house, "Laundry room there and there's a room at this level, just go out, turn right and the second door to the right it is. If you want to check that one," she continued upstairs fighting her want to ask him about his life, even though she was aware of what little Jess disclosed. "Living room, kitchen and dining room, family room at the end. And there's a room on the other side of the stairs. The bathroom there is pretty neat."

She kept pointing around and he kept following her, he too was amazed by how easily they had fallen back into their old habits, joking and flirting all over the place and backing off when it looked too serious, when she took a third set of stairs, he frowned, he could have sworn that the house wasn't that big from the outside.

"Here we have the master room and a single room on the other side, I don't really like that one," she commented with a shrug.

"I'm surprised, no lab?" he commented playfully.

"Ah, yes… the end of this hallway to the right," she smirked.

"Excuse me Doc, but I have to ask this, and I think I already did once… do you have any kind of property that resembles a regular sized house?"

"There's the condo your family is using…" she answered.

"Do you realize that the so called "condo" is a combined penthouse, do you?" she laughed.

"Well, of course. I bought it," she shrugged, "the price was reasonable for a 5000 square feet downtown San Diego, and they offered a discount if I bought two. It's part of what Jess will be inheriting when the moment comes…" she explained softly. How she managed to put it as if she was talking about coins instead of millions he still didn't know.

"Okay… so that's a no then," he summed it up and she laughed hard.

"I actually have several regular houses around the world, Colonel. I found them to be a very good investment. There are just a handful I use as base houses of sort, like the one in Vegas and the one in Colorado… the rest is managed by a real estate company of my own, one that thankfully Rodney had nothing to do with," she added the last part mostly for herself. He raised an eyebrow at her comment and she sighed, "Please do not mention that to him," she added biting her lips and he frowned, "when would you anyway?" she facepalmed herself.

"Wasn't he supposed to join you tomorrow?" he asked, confused, he was pretty sure it was one of those occasions she once told him about, that she couldn't avoid and in which McKay would stick to her as dirt to the nail.

"Oh, he can't make it," she shrugged as a mean of explanation, because she really didn't want to explain him that since their divorce Rodney wasn't welcomed in many places he was before. So she changed subjects, "do chose a room, Colonel, then we can go out for dinner, I don't quite feel like ordering in"

"I can cook…" he offered.

"Well, I know that… but are you in the mood to cook? After a long flight and the even longer meetings?"

"Not really, no…"

"Then, we should go out. Somewhere safe," she told him assessing him quickly, "I'll make the reservations, but now, I'm in a deep need of a long hot bath," she added in a sultry and dreamy tone, before disappearing behind the doors of the master room. "Where the hell did that came from?" she muttered to herself as she leaned against the door and looked towards the ceiling, slowly shaking her head to take out of her mind the images her mind conjured when she saw his eyes clouding. "It's all in your head, Carter!" she told to herself and walked towards the bathroom.

On the outside, Jack was still standing out there, his mind was filled with images of a long and especially hot bath with a blonde he wasn't married to and he shouldn't lust after. He managed to shake himself out of his reverie and walked around to pick one of the rooms.

At the end, he ended up with the one she pointed as having a nice bathroom, and she was right, the hydro massage shower did wonders to the aching muscles of his back and managed to relax him somewhat, he was feeling somewhat drowsy and decided that if he stood inside of the room the bed would end up calling him. He walked out and was pacing around the second floor when she startled him.

"I'm ready," she told him stealthily walking close to him. He gasped when he turned around and instead of the dark and serious suit she had before, she was wearing mid thigh, but simple black dress, that somehow left and didn't leave a lot of space for imagination.

It clung to her like a second skin, but both front and back had high lines fully covering her up, her legs were on display and he tried not to ogle. Blinking, he continued his examination and it was then when he noticed that, from above her hips and up to her under arm, front and back were joined by some scraps of fabric leaving the skin partially covert but still on display. He cleared his throat when he saw it.

A small purse on her hands completed her outfit, and he found out her hair was done and she had a little to no makeup, but when he finally met her eyes, they seemed bigger and brighter. He whistled, and grimaced looking down at himself.

"I believe I'm not as fashionable as you are," he commented and she laughed, "you look beautiful… Doc" he added belatedly making her bit her lower lip.

"I think you do clean up nicely…Colonel… shall we go?"

"I can get changed, Doc, I do have those thingies you bought for me." He added doubtfully, she crooked her head and subjected him to the same level of inspection he had given her with a small mischievous smirk in place.

She looked at him from his short graying hair, which somehow was tamed, down to his eyes and the way his 5 o'clock beard was still in place. (She smiled knowingly because she remembered quite vividly having mentioned she liked how it looked on him). And continued down, he wasn't wearing a jacket, but he had a white buttoned shirt above a black fitted one.

"It's too hot for a jacket," he commented shrugging and she gulped when the movement reached his abs. With a shook of her head, she continued to the black pants. She wasn't sure which kind of fabric it was, but she knew he wore them well.

"You look …" she bit her lower lip, looking for a word she could say so she wouldn't have to say 'hot', "handsome," she added clearing her throat, and then quickly she diverted her eyes elsewhere, "Anyhow, it's not a fancy place, you look fine and you will fit in quite nicely... Don't worry"

"If you say so…" he trailed, feeling a little more empowered after that checkup.

"I do." She blushed, and started to move just to avoid her eyes to keep roaming his body. He followed her, taking the chance to watch how perfectly the dress moved along with her. They walked to the car and she explained to him how to get to the place they were going.

They drove on a silence that was only interrupted by a 'Holy Hannah!' when she noticed the number of cars and press members roaming outside the little French bistro. She sighed and took her cellphone out. He slowed down when he saw the name of the place they were going to passing him by.

"Well, you can leave me at the entrance, and then you can come in without they harassing you, or we can both go through the backside, or… we can find another place. But I have to confess I'm really tired and hungry and this is one of the best and fastest places I know here, the others can take forever before they bring the food to the table"

"Ok," he told her and she frowned. When he the traffic light stopped him, he turned around to watch her, "just tell me how we get to their back door"

"Really?" she asked in wonder, and he nodded.

"Yeah, you are hungry and tired, I'm hungry and tired… and I could care less if we are seen or not. But for some reason you haven't explained, you do. And if you do and there's all of the above to take into consideration..." he trailed softly, "then let's use the back door and everything will be okay"

Not quite believing what was happening, she pointed him how to get to the back. And soon they were seated at the table she reserved, which was on the second floor by the balcony towards the internal patio and faraway of the outside windows. It was a lovely place, smelled like flowers and recently made bread. And he hadn't seen her looking her so beautiful as she did right then, he also couldn't avoid the way he was looking at her even if he tried.

"So, did Rodney and you came here often?" he asked, noticing the romantic environment and almost slapping himself when she grimaced.

"No, not really, I've never been here with him. As a matter of fact, you are the first person who comes with me." She told him, looking at him from above the menu.

"How come? It's a lovely place, and you seem to know everyone here…"

"I.." she trailed, placing a strand of her behind her ear, "I know the owner, she was a good friend from college, well, from one of them. But the place attracts a lot of famous people…"

"The photographers outside…" she nodded. And then he understood, "and people who you invite either doesn't want to be pictured with you, or doesn't want to come through the backdoor…" she nodded, a small self-deprecating smile on her lips. "Hey, it's not your fault, they are the ones who missed it," he told her and grabbed the hand which was on the top of the table. She inhaled deeply at his words and at the current that still was there even after all those weeks apart

"So, there's only a few weeks until you get your family back," she mentioned as small talk, she hoped the pain she felt knowing that the chances of seeing him by luck were lower and lower witch each passing day didn't come through her voice. And he tried not to wince, because even if he did miss his kid, and even with all the work he had done to improve his family situation, he couldn't possibly phantom the day he wouldn't be able to see her at all or learn about her from Jess.

"Yeah…" he sighed. They looked at each other and both blushed, his thumb caressed her hand and she smiled. "Can we not do this to ourselves?" He asked softly, searching her eyes, which widened. She tried to remove her hand from under his, but he didn't allow her to. "I didn't mean this," he smiled, raising their joined hands a little

"What do you mean then?" She asked, distressed

"Don't bring your walls up, and I won't bring mine. Don't ask what pains you, and I won't ask what pains me… And we can pretend we don't need to be tough"

"But we need to be tough, how can we pretend to walk away from this weekend unscarred, if we aren't?" She inquired, he snorted.

"Tell me you will be able to leave this place unscarred if we tough it up and I will do it, I will be back to call you Doctor and I won't flinch when you call me Colonel. But before, you will have to explain to me how to manage such a feat, because since the moment I got to your house, I knew I would have to start to forget you all over again. So tell me, Samantha. Convince me you won't have to…explain to me how you don't care for me anymore, and I will let you go"

She bit her lower lip and looked at him, her eyes were filled with tears and he started to fear for the worse, he started to think she had actually managed to and that she was going to let him know how she had forgotten him.

"I can't do it…" she told him and his world came crumbling down, "I can't do it because I still love you, Jack"


	26. A little of DC Charm

Hello, I'm suffering from insomnia and that's the reason why this is going so fast. Anyway, don't hate me…I do hope I make sense, my brain is functioning on a weird vibe… xD

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 26 – A little of DC Charm**

When he recalled that moment in the future, he always thought of it as magical. One thing was to know she cared about him, because, really, she cared about Daniel, and about Teal'c, she cared about Martouf and Hammond, he was sure she even cared about Ferretti. But when those four little words came out of her mouth, he knew for sure she cared about him in the same way he cared about her…. 'far most than we were supposed to,' they often recalled aloud together when telling their story.

"Jack?" she asked, her eyes widened a little and she was trying to figure out if she had finally managed to scare the though Colonel… and then he smiled

"Say it again…" he told her in awe. She frowned first, but then she noticed what he was talking about.

"I still love you, Jack… I tried to forget you, I tried to live without you… and really, I can."

"That's anticlimactic…" he commented with a smile and she rolled her eyes.

"The truth is, nothing was the same without you, and when you leave, it will be all wrong again," she explained and he did and said nothing, just looked at her and she was starting to feel self-conscious. "I… where is the darn waiter anyway?" she questioned, feeling on the spot. He smiled at her flustered status.

"I still love you, Sam," he whispered loud enough for her to hear him. She turned around in a perfect imitation of the girl from the exorcist, and he smiled. "I tried not to, God knows I tried hard… but you, with all your technobabble and annoying questions about myself, and all that knowledge about me that you weren't supposed to have, and with all those doubts over you and all those selfless acts that seem to pour out of your hands. You… won me over. And there's nothing I can do. There was nothing I could have done, to avoid it… or to forget you," she bit her lower lip. The waiter chose that moment to make its appearance, and they huffed at the interruption. They both picked quickly and waited nervously for the young man to leave.

"So, we are back to square one, aren't we?" she questioned after a while, when they were alone again.

"Are we? I mean… shouldn't square one be me not knowing you and you not knowing me?" he joked and she shook her head laughing. He loved make her laugh.

"Well, it should be something like that, yes. But I meant back to the complex situation. You have a family, I have one… you live in Colorado and I in San Diego. We both travel for work…"

"There's all that too…"

"Jack…"

"Sam…"

"What's your plan? Why did you ask that of me?" she inquired curiously.

"I… the truth?" he asked and she nodded, "I didn't plan it. I just couldn't take it any longer. I can't be this close to you, Sam. And not want to have you close to me and it drives me insane"

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be. We are screwed, aren't we?"

"Probably... but I guess we can make the most of this 'date of sorts' and then…"

"And then… what?"

"Nothing…" she trailed, and he raised an eyebrow making her sigh, "well, I was thinking, actually I wasn't, it came out before I could fully digest it," she explained and he grinned, "you manage that somehow." She commented and for some reason he seemed proud of himself, "what my mind was about to let out was that, maybe, we can have this dinner, as we would if we weren't attached... And then, you could hold me tonight as you did at the cabin?" she finished hopefully.

"That didn't end up well last time…" he pointed and her face fell, "at least… if there's no alcohol we can manage," he smirked. "Yeah, I see your point. I'm in"

"Are you?" she asked, surprised

"You sure you betcha"

"Oki doki, then"

And that they did, they dined and chatted and exchanged longing glances and soft caresses and light touches and nothing more. They talked about anything and everything and shared a cake, and when she went to the toilet, her friend, the owner, told her she hadn't ever seen a couple so in love and wished her luck. And they left and he parked the car inside the garage and he walked with her to the second floor. He went to the room he had picked before and grabbed what he brought for pajamas as she waited him by the stairs.

Then together, they slowly climbed the last trail of stairs and this time, when she opened the master room door, he followed her in. He looked around, it was spacious and elegant, kind of like her room in San Diego. She pointed him the general direction of the washroom while she picked something from her dressing room. When he came out, she was already dressed in a silk pajama consisting on a flowy tank top and shorts. And he gulped, not because of the miles of creamy skin he saw (mostly because he got to see her legs, arms and those delicious bits of skin from her sides during the night) but because he knew they were naked around the same time just a few meters away.

When he didn't move out of the way, she slid behind him and pushed him out of the washroom with her hands on his back. And he though once again on how he liked her hands, before shaking his head and walking towards the bedroom.

She opened the door to leave the wash room and that was when her own reflection caught her eyes. She looked at herself and she saw the woman in love her friend had mentioned, and also found a woman who was about to sleep with another woman's husband. And she couldn't avoid but to look at her reflection and ask herself what the hell was she doing… because even if she wasn't married anymore. He still was.

She tried to convince herself that a friendly dinner and sharing a comfy bed weren't things that could blow the line between what they were doing, and cheating. Then she shook her head again, maybe, she was helping him cheat on Sarah from the start, not willingly... but didn't people out there said that one shouldn't not desire the man of another woman or something like that?

He found her like that, staring at the mirror unseeingly. And with a worried frown marring her face. He came up to her and embraced her loosely and couldn't avoid pressing a light kiss on her shoulder.

"You are worrying too much," he told her, pressing his chin on her shoulder. Their eyes locked on the mirror. "How long has been since the last time you have slept?" he asked softly and she shrugged.

"A week or two…" she lied easily and he raised his eyebrow, waiting for the truth he hoped came out. She sighed, "A day or two after you left." She blushed, "Teal'c is good, I know that, I know he's 'useful' but…" she bit her lower lip, he didn't need to hear her voice the last part, but he still cringed when her eyes were on his, "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. A truth for a truth was still their apparent M.O.

"Just hold you, right? Like back at the cabin?" she nodded once, "of course, I believe we are both mature enough to survive this," she understood loud and clear the 'and we both need this to survive' hidden between the lines. "Now tell me, what was going on in your head?" he asked softly.

"I'm debating with myself whether or not this is cheating…"

"Maybe it is…" he shrugged, "and if this is, then I will have to say I don't care. I want to hold you tonight, just hold you… and pretend when the morning comes, that I'm allowed to wake up with you by my side. And that you are allowed to wake up with me"

"I…" she started, then she leaned back against his chest.

"I can go back down, Sam… to the room I picked. That won't change the fact that I love you and that you love me. That won't change the fact that for some people, that itself will be considered cheating… and maybe they are right, but I couldn't help to fall for you, just like you couldn't help but fall for me"

"There's no telling when the heart wants it…" she whispered, "take me to bed, Jack. Hold me while you can, and when the times comes, I will think of these nights in your arms to be able to move on"

He kissed her shoulder again, and walked her to the bed. He laid himself on a side and she placed herself half way over him, her head resting on his chest.

"Hey, don't think, just sleep," he told her reassuringly, "the issues will still be there in the morning"

"That's not reassuring at all," she deadpanned. He moved around and so did she, they lay side by side and one of his hands found her waist, establishing the only connection between their bodies. She sighed, "It wasn't this awkward at the cabin"

"We were pretty wasted then…" he pointed making them both laugh at the memory, then she huffed.

"Maybe this room is too hot for this," she mumbled, and she felt the bed shift and out of the sudden, the cover wasn't on top of them anymore and they remained covered by a thin sheet, she laughed while he positioned both of them back as they were before, "that wasn't what I meant" she laughed.

"I know, and yes, I'm rolling my eyes at you," she turned around to look at him.

"Your eyes are closed"

"I'm still rolling them…" she moved again, to try and find a position to fall asleep, she was really tired and it was really late, but there was an energy coming from the divide between their bodies that was making her unable to shut down for what was left of the night. "You know, it might get easier if you turn the darn light off," he pointed and she giggled.

And maybe it was the light, or maybe it was that he didn't pressured her to, nor commented on their situation, or maybe it was the pull his body had over hers what made her move a little backward, then there was a small humming of approval from him. And he, too, moved a little closer.

"What are you afraid of?" he whispered against her ear, making her shiver, "You know I won't do anything that can hurt you or our families"

"Yes, I know that," she added closing her eyes to be able to make those words come out.

"And I know you won't do anything that can hurt me or our families," he added softly, his lips caressing her neck with each word. She shivered.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, she had yet to find a moment to let him know she wasn't married anymore. "Because, I'm really not"

"I'm sure…" he placed a small kiss on her neck. "I trust you, Sam"

"What if I don't trust me?"

"Well, then I will have to trust in you for both of us. Or stop you before it goes out of our hands, and with that, you can trust me"

"Okay, I can do that," she sighed, and finally she was able to relax enough to let her eyes close tiredly, then he moved closer to her, closing the final gap between their bodies and showed her that he trusted her as much as she trusted him. She turned around with a sigh and it was then enveloped on the safety of his arms, with the sound of his heart beating in her ear, she fell asleep.

"I will think of these nights until the time that I can be free comes, then I will come looking for you, Sam… because I can't live without you," he whispered to the night. And she sighed comfortably from above his chest and he knew that at some point, everything would fall in place.

She stretched on top of him early the next morning, somehow she had remembered the last time they had the chance to share a bed and had set an alarm, no matter how much she wanted to be in his arms, there were meetings to be held and a ball to assist. He groaned under her when her body moved along his and when the shrill of the alarm pierced his head.

"How much wine did we have yesterday?" he asked, caressing her back.

"We didn't have more than a bottle… I think. But is not the wine," she confirmed, "it's the lack of sleep. Apparently, we can talk… a lot," he laughed, making her move along with the movement of his chest.

"I can't believe they had to kick us out of the restaurant"

"My friend wanted to go home too," she shrugged, "I guess 2am is a good time as any to go home after a long day"

"I don't know how we managed…" he started and then her belly roared. "You are kidding, right? You are hungry already?" she blushed and he found that, from all the images of Sam he had the chance to see, this one was the one he loved the most. "I love you," he told her because he couldn't even stop himself from saying it, and she grinned.

"I love you… but if we don't start to move our butts out of here, I …" she started with a mischievous smile but then she shook her head, "we are going to be late," she finished and stretched herself once more, and stood up

"No running?" He asked loudly, while he watched her move to the dressing room and by extent to the washroom

"There's no time!" she told him, turning around before entering, just to point him the clock.

"Holy Hannah!" he told her using the phrase she often used on those moments. And jumped out of bed and disappeared downstairs.

He found her in the kitchen, (once he managed to find the kitchen). She was nursing a hot cup of coffee and seating on a stool by the kitchen counter. In front of her two plates of waffles sat along with a variety of things to add them. She was wearing a light colored suit, with a black tank top. Her jacket was still against the back of the chair.

"You did all this?" He asked, kissing the skin on her shoulder, he found that, for some reason when they were alone, he couldn't stop doing it nor he wanted to stop doing it. Just like he found out she had something with caressing his hair or placing small kisses on his neck. She turned around and smiled at him.

"I told you once, I do know how to cook, and really, this is fairly simple. Now, let's eat up, we don't really have much time"

They left the house not much later, she placed her hand on top of his over the gear and when she did, he changed them so hers was down and his was on top and their fingers could lace up. The tingling sensation accompanied them to the parking spot and until they had to leave their private selves inside their minds and became once more Doctor and Colonel, as if all those moments they've spent together hadn't ever occurred.

By the time the meeting was approaching its end, she looked definitively tired and he was annoyed and bored. It wasn't the best combination in any case, and they still had to get ready for the party. She looked at him and he winked at her, and immediately was like she had regained some of her missing energy. The corner of her lips curled slightly and he didn't feel annoyed anymore. It was a rarity really, that they could place themselves in a different wavelength just with a simple exchange, but they didn't even realize that until they were years into their future.

She looked at her clock and winced. And by her reaction, people around the table did too. She smiled reassuringly at them and they quickly started to close the meeting, scheduling different things with different people and finally, exchanging comments. Jack didn't know if whomever she was dealing got exactly what they wanted or not, but he was pretty sure that if they did. They didn't even have the slightest idea of them wanting it in the first place. He had noticed how she was able to make them want something she was offering and make them believe it was what they were asking for, as if the idea came out of them in the first place.

"You are a con artist," he told her with a smirk, when the doors of the car were closed and her hand was again resting below his over the gear. She smiled and waited for them to be a little bit further away before lowering her head over his shoulders.

"It doesn't bother you, right?" she asked

"You over my shoulder or you being a con artist?" she laughed

"Both I guess?"

"No, no really"

"I'm not a con artist, by the way," he raised his eyebrow but noticed she couldn't see him

"And how exactly do you call to someone who can make you believe that her idea was your idea in the first place while she pretends she wasn't the one who came with it?" he whispered and she laughed hard.

"Persuasive?" she added with a smile. "It's not my fault they can't remember what they wanted" she shrugged.

"There's that too…so, you don't have much time to get ready for the ball…" he mentioned and she checked the time and sighed.

"I never do. You have no idea how many times I had to go to these dumb things with my hair braided just because I hadn't time to dry it up"

"That's why you had it short?"

"Yeah, it's faster and it doesn't need that much work"

"It suited you. This longer hair also suits you…" he commented and then he snorted

"What?"

"You probably can be hairless and dressed in a potato bag and it will still suit you," he told her

"It's not the style is the way you wear it," she commented with a wink before going down of the car. He agreed with her, especially when not even half an hour later she was descending the stairs, 'she always wears classics, she never risks it' was what he overheard later that night about her dress. But to him she looked perfect, godlessly even.

The fabric was a blue so dark that it seemed black, there was a v neck and the drapes on the sides accentuated her shape, the silver belt on her waist called attention to how slim she actually was and from there, the fabric went down loosely to the floor. She turned around with a smile and a curious 'whatcha think?' and he whistled, especially when he saw the back, which was somewhat lower, leaving her shoulder blades out showing some more of her perfect skin. Her hair was half braided and half lose towards one side and her makeup again brought her eyes out. She completed her outfit with a thin white gold bracelet, and a long earring on the uncovered ear and a small diamond on the almost covered one.

"You look… heavenly," he added stopping her from turning around again embracing her from behind and using their current position to place yet another kiss on her shoulders. She shivered but didn't point to him how many times he had done that in the past few hours.

"You don't look bad yourself…" she left out on a trembling whisper.

"It's just my dress blues, nothing you haven't seen before." He shrugged, and she turned around in his arms and placed a kiss below his ears.

"Yeah, nothing new," she told him and then showed him a mischievous smile, that made his body react hardly, "it doesn't mean I haven't checked you out or didn't think you were hot on them before," she whispered on his ear before scraping it with her teeth and letting him go.

Once he managed to control the shiver that her action had caused, he took her hand and lead her towards the car. And less than half hour later, Jack found himself surrounded by politicians, diplomats, the top brass of the forces, and lots of colorful dresses.

She winked at him when someone took her away from his side, and towards a group of people. He followed her with his gaze and soon he too was being swept away from where they first where seating towards a group of people interested on his presence at the party.

Somehow he had managed to keep an eye on her without people noticing he was doing it, until she was moved even further away and he finally found an excuse to extricate himself out of the group he was in. He walked slowly towards the group in which she now was, they were talking animatedly about something and she was laughing with them and he saw her close her eyes slightly as if she was searching for a way out, and on a whim, he decided to save her.

"Doctor Carter," he smiled, joining the group, "Ladies"

"Ah, Colonel O'Neill. I thought I lost you to the brass," she welcomed him making some space beside her for him to join the group, "Mrs Johansen was telling me all about the upcoming Harry Potter book," he looked at her confused, and remembered having a similar conversation the first morning he was in her home.

"Are you a fan too, Colonel?" Mrs Johansen questioned hopefully.

"Me?" the old lady assented in such way that made him wonder how on God's earth her jewelry was still on. "I… you know how people is always saying that books are always far better than movies?" he asked, making the old lady frown in confusion.

"Yes?"

"Well, I'm waiting for the movies… that way the books won't be spoiled," he smiled and winked at Sam.

"That's…" Mrs Johansen frowned.

"What I'm going to do too," Sam added, saving him from the death glare he was about to receive, "The Colonel gave quite the argument on why waiting for the movies was better than reading them, especially when there are so many books we will never have a chance to see on the big screen"

"Well, I find it as a very … peculiar… approach. However, I highly doubt you joined us to talk about books and movies, Colonel," another young woman pointed.

"Ah, no… Miss?"

"McMillan, Mrs. McMillan," she added with a flirtatious smile.

"Well, that's because you are right, Mrs McMillan, I was actually not in search of joining your group, alas, I was coming here to ask the good Doctor, if she wanted to have a dance with me," he answered in a lowered tone as if Sam wasn't listening to him anyways. She rolled her eyes at his playfulness.

"Such a lovely woman, isn't she?" Mrs. McMillan complimented in the same way, making Sam blush. She squinted as the two shared a mischievous laugh.

"Thank you Beatrice. You, on the other hand, Colonel… I take you didn't find a nice group to talk?"

"Oh, nonsense! Of course I have, now I'm only trying to escape them. There's only so much I can divulge about my career"

"Oh! Really? What do you do, Colonel? I'm Catherine Mackenzie by the way"

"Pleasure, I work at NORAD, deep space radar telemetry"

"Really? And how did you two meet?"

"Doctor Carter is our main external adviser"

"And what exactly you do at deep space radar telemetry?" Mrs McMillan chimed in. He inhaled deeply.

"We measure what they can't in space radar telemetry," he added sarcastically. The widened eyes and horrified expressions told him that his was the wrong answer. "I'm joking ladies, but my line of work can be immensely boring"

"And why do you still do it then? Both of you, nonetheless"

"What the Colonel means is that conversations about it can be boring, Beatrice. There are too many scientific terms to explain anything easily"

"Ah… that makes sense, I'm sorry Colonel. I didn't pretend to be rude," she apologized.

"No problem, ma'am"

"Colonel? I believe you wanted to dance?" Sam asked, smiling, as an answer he extended his hand to take hers. Oh, he knew that dancing together could be far more dangerous than screwing it up with a bunch of ladies, but he was totally looking forward to it now.

They joined the group of people who was already on the dance floor, first they danced with the proper distance, but as the night moved along and they found themselves turning to the dance floor whenever one or both wanted to escape from prodding situation, they danced more and more closely.

He found her on yet another group, he looked at her tired eyes and then at the watch. And then whispered in her ear, "let me know when you want to go," She nodded once, and looked around. If they left right there, then they would be the first leaving and she didn't want to attract that kind of attention to them.

"Aw, this music is lovely! Honey, let's dance," one of the woman said to her husband, "you should dance too, Sam. I saw you too are quite good at it," she smiled innocently, while Sam blushed after being caught.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, smiling impishly, and she nodded. They moved towards the place they had used most of the night; it was secluded enough that they weren't under the eyes of too many people. And this time, she rested her head on his shoulder and he brought their joined hands to his chest level as they slowly swayed with the rhythm. Her weight resting more and more on him. "we should go before you fall asleep on your feet," he told her and she nodded.

It took them a while to be able to go out, and it was way past midnight when they finally got back to the house. He walked her upstairs as he had every night since Jess's birthday party and until he asked to be replaced. And just like the day before, she opened her door and tugged his hand for him to join her in. But he didn't move, she frowned and then she looked at him and he tugged his blue jacket. She left an 'oh' out. And laughed at her own silliness.

"Do leave the door open," he told her with a wink.

"Do try not to take long, I'm dead on my feet and I'm pretty sure you are too"

She turned around and went to get changed, he did too. Soon, he was back in her room and she was patting 'his place' and he was curled up beside her. And they fell asleep, not thinking on how they could talk for hours with each other, or how well they fitted together both mentally and physically (at least when sleeping, dancing or talking well past the wee hours of the day), or even on how wrong it was to be that emotionally attached to the other, but at the end of the day, they knew that love could conquer it all, even if it took some time.


	27. Guilt and answers

**Hey people, sorry! I'm not an insomniac anymore! Now I'm just a hopefully somewhat decent writer who was struggling with making the chapters legible. Yes, I agree with the general consensus of "we need them to get rid of their spouses" but I also need this one to happen. xD That and the fact that the other 'issue', is way more complex to solve result in this.**

 **Enjoy (which also translates as don't kill me)**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 27 – Guilt and answers**

Jack woke up not quite knowing where he was, then she saw her curled up on top of him and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, remembering where exactly he was and why. But something was wrong, his gut told him that much. And it wasn't the fact she was laying on top of him, nor the way his hand curled possessively over her waist. No, it was something he had felt before and he didn't like.

She tensed up a millisecond later, and listened to see if she heard something. Her gut told her something was wrong, very wrong. But her mind told her no one knew about the current house they were in and if someone was in, then it was a complete stranger, maybe someone who though could get something out of a rarely inhabited home.

And then, they both turned around when they noticed what really was the thing that managed to wake them up. The light buzzing sound and the faint yellowy glowing light of his cellphone. He stretched over the other side of the bed and grabbed his phone, and frowned.

"O'Neill," he answered shortly, as they both moved a little further away from each other and made themselves a bit more comfortable on the bed.

"Colonel O'Neill, I'm sorry to wake you up," General Hammond's voice got clear and tired in his ear, "there are news from the Tok'ra. They aren't nice, I will be calling Sam in the morning, when we have decided what to do with this information. I just want you to know, it doesn't matter what we do or we don't do…. She will take a hit," he added gravely.

"Okey…" he trailed hoping for more information, without actually having to request more with her just an arm away.

"Not in the way of an attempt on her or Jess lives, but on the who, Jack. The subject is quite delicate and I don't want to explain more over the phone. I will call her in the morning to let her know she will have to arrange the transfer of both of you here..." he trailed and cleared his throat, "I know how you felt about her, therefore I trust you will be of support when the time comes. See you soon, son," And then, he looked at the phone with a death glare and a confused frown.

"What's going on?" she asked tiredly, rolling over towards the middle again.

"Nothing, we will find out more in the morning," he told her, accommodating himself closer to her. "Go back to sleep"

"Mmkay," she added sleepily and moved her head to the other side.

He watched her sleep for a while, thinking about what the hell could be the thing that had made Hammond call him, then he decided that if he really wanted to be of use, he too needed to sleep. And so he did.

Not two hours later he felt something was wrong (again), he patted his side and found it cold. He sat in a swift movement and listened for a second or two, and then he followed the noise. It was light and he wouldn't hear if the room wasn't sound proofed for the outside, but it was and he found himself staring into the gleaming light of the bathroom, and listening to the tale telling sounds of someone having a conversation with the porcelain God.

In her rush to get there, she hadn't noticed she didn't close the door fully, and in her current state she didn't have the strength to get there to fully closed it either. When the last wave had finished, she sighed tiredly.

She hated when stress got to her on that level, but what could she possibly expect when her mind raced over the things they were and weren't doing and over how good it felt and how bad guilt was. Another wave hit her, making her unable to feel his eyes over her, nor she felt him coming closer, she could only hear the voices in her head telling her how guilty she was and the sounds of her 5 plate dinner (and probably her lunch and breakfast by then), coming out. Only then, she felt overwhelmed by two feelings: a sudden calm and the desire to hide herself.

He reached for her hair and held her until she collapsed heaving heavily, she hadn't noticed, but at some point he had grabbed a glass and filled it with water, and now he was offering it to her. She took it gratefully, and slowly took a small sip and then another, cautiously testing her stomach.

"It must have been something I ate"

"I ate the same things you did," he pointed, and frowned, "you aren't bulimic, are you?" he asked in concern and she shook her head.

"No…" she panted, "to tell you the truth, it's probably stress. I hate these things, the ball I mean, and I always end up here whenever I'm done with them. I end up specially stressed if it's one of those I can't reject, it feels like I'm being forced to do something I don't want to," she lied through her teeth, 'to make believable lies, you have to wave them with a little truth', someone once told her and she found out it worked, even with him.

She stood in her own two feet feeling really dizzy, she managed to support herself and wash her teeth. Quite self-conscious of her disastrous state, she asked him to get her some pills for the stomach from the first aid kid she had and she smiled tiredly at him. As soon as he disappeared to do so, she propped herself against the bathroom wall, unable to keep her weight alone anymore.

"Ready to go back?" he asked her, entering the room and giving her the pills. She took them and nodded, blushing heavily when he found her in such pathetic position. She tried to give a step forward and he grabbed her first, she accepted the help with a small smile and started to accommodate herself to walk helped by him back to bed. But he lifted her off the floor and carried her to it, and with the mix of the pills and feeling drained, it didn't take her long to fall asleep again.

When they woke up later that morning, she was feeling herself again and the guilt despite being there, didn't come back so strongly as in the nightmare she got. She sighed happily and at the same time, he sighed in contempt. And a warmth fuzzy feeling took over their bodies. She stretched slowly and found that at some point they had changed positions again and she was the small spoon. And he nuzzled her neck and she moved it to grant him more space.

"Morning," she told him with a sigh.

"Morning," he answered and then felt his lips on her shoulder.

"I like that…" she whispered hoarsely

"Good." Then he caressed her hair, "How are you feeling?" She sighed in contempt.

"Okay, I guess. I don't feel dizzy or nauseous, but I won't be so sure until I stand"

"What's the plan?" he asked after a while, now lazily stroking the skin of her belly. Then he felt something, and frowned. And then he moved up with and lifted up her tank top.

"What?" she asked at the sudden movement, her eyes widened with some mild panic.

"You got a piercing?" He asked, amused. She patted his hand away while she quickly pushed the tank top down. And he saw her blush in embarrassment from her head and down to her neck, and that make him wonder about other things.

"I got it when I was 15th." She explained, "It doesn't close and it's easier and cleaner to keep it in."

"And here I thought I knew you, and you come and surprise me again. I'm yet to find out what was that tattoo your father once mentioned you had." She blushed even deeper.

"About your question… we are supposed to be leaving for Vegas in…" she checked the clock, "we should be at the airport in two hours. So we got time to get ready and have a decent brunch," She stood up and stretched herself with a groan, still feeling somewhat ill at ease, but good enough to know she had some sort of guilt ridden stress attack. "This will be day two without running, hopefully I will manage to get to a pool tonight," she sighed before walking towards the bathroom. And he didn't dare to point out that with all that she lost the night before, she probably didn't have much left to burn.

Twenty minutes or so later, he entered the kitchen and she straightened. He walked up to her and she was now sporting a small frown and chewing her lower lip, and he knew he had gotten the call.

"What's wrong?" he asked cautiously and she turned around and embraced him, inhaled deeply to calm herself. Then she felt self-conscious and took a step back.

"Nothing," she shook her head, trying to understand what the hell was going on in her mind but she couldn't fully grasp it. "Ah, Hammond called, he said something about new information and that he can't disclose it by phone not even if the lines are secured," she huffed.

"Hum… did he tell you about what? How's the stomach? Will you want some coffee? You shouldn't have coffee… do you have any tea?" she smiled at his questioning.

"Ah, no to the what. I'm good as new, and yes, I would have said yes to the coffee but I will stay with the tea," she told him gratefully, while he opened and closed cupboards in search of the things he needed. "What are you doing?" she chuckled

"I believe it's called breakfast…but late"

"Brunch?"

"That works too," he smiled and after he finished fighting with the coffee maker he started to cook some eggs. "So, when do we leave?" he asked her

"At the same time, just to a different destination," she shrugged going for some berries to munch.

"To Colorado?"

"Yeah, he told me it can't wait…" they moved quickly and soon they both were sitting on the table, she poured two glasses of orange juice and brought cereal and milk to the table while he finished with the eggs. "To tell you the truth, I want to be there sooner rather than later"

"Then after this we can go, I'm all packed and I'm pretty sure you are too," she nodded once, curtly and looked somewhere without seeing, "talk to me…" he whispered. She sighed and looked at him, there was so many things going on her head she wanted to tell him, things she wanted him to know and that once out, she wanted them to be a source of togetherness or maybe even a future, but she also knew she couldn't talk about them, not with him. Because no matter how much she loved him or how much he told her he did… nothing that starts wrong ends up good. But she already had left the sigh out and she needed to tell him something, anything that would make the conversation go away, and maybe, hopefully, disappear along with him on the back burner of her memory.

"I'm worried," she left out and his eyes widened, "and I'm a little scared," he was about to answer her she didn't need to be worried or scared, because what had happened on those two nights wouldn't happen again, and wouldn't leave his mouth. "About this call…." He sighed, of course she was three steps ahead of him and she knew him well enough, "I mean, what could possibly be so weird that it can't be talked over the phone? At least, he could have given me some sort of clue…"

"And have you overthinking until you arrive?" he asked with a snort. And she smiled, mostly because she had managed what she wanted.

"As if leaving me thinking about what can it be by not telling me anything is way better."

"Well, there's that too." Then he smiled and she frowned, "Ahm, Sam… how's Rocket Racoon doing?"

"Good, he's almost as handful as Jess." She smiled and then pensively asked, "Why?"

"I take they both helped you pack?" he laughed and she looked down and blushed. There was a big brown pup paw mark on her chest.

"I asked them to bring this one here, I actually thought they would have sent it to the cleaner first. I guess I have to give better directions when people is new," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"How come you didn't notice it?" he asked, amused.

"My phone was ringing, I grabbed the first thing which was close and combined and took the call, I came down without actually looking at myself in the mirror"

"That explains it, when you finish, go get changed and I'll take care of this and then we can go"

"Sure?"

"Yup… It doesn't take a big bad Colonel to clean dishes. But we manage to," he winked, making her laugh.

Soon they were on her plane crossing to Colorado. Sam's eyes widened and she felt something tightening her shoulders when they found her dad waiting for them at the first level entry. 'Shit' she thought, but embraced her father vigorously because truth to be told, she missed her old man too much.

"How are you holding up, Sammie?" he asked and she frowned. She didn't believe her face betrayed how awfully she was feeling within her head and her actions of the past two days. But the concerned words of her father made her all too conscious over that little annoying voice in her head which reminded her that everything she had done was wrong and how she shouldn't be doing it, not even cuddling. Hell, right now, being in the same place he was made her feel guilty.

"Well, Washington balls aren't as bad," she told him trying to identify what was he referring to. Maybe he only wanted to know how she was holding up after the last time they saw each other and her love life, or rather, lack of thereof was not even in his head.

"Oh, you don't know… yet. Of course, it makes sense." But it didn't, it didn't for her.

"Dad, please tell me what the hell is going on…"

"You'll learn soon, I guess." He told her hugging her once more, trying to comfort her even if she didn't know why. And managing at the same time to comfort her on the way she needed and feel much guiltier than she was already feeling.

Her mindset didn't leave her during the whole start of the meeting and Jack's eyes carefully searching her, weren't helping on avoiding her wandering mind. Still the General's words had managed to reach her clouded mind, a little too late and a little too foggy. Jack kept his jaw clenched and his stare calm, but inside he was burning, he wanted to do something and do it now.

"Sounds good," she answered and she knew something was wrong when all eyes were on her and the collective gasp reached her ears. She felt Jack's and her dad's eyes on her… and Hammond's eyes, all looking at her worriedly.

She muted out the conversation about how and who would be leading the mission to get all the heads of the company until she understood. And her eyes widened and she couldn't breathe. She gasped for air and they once again looked at her. The faint words of General Hammond, explaining what happened got to her

 _"The Tok'ra has managed to translate and decode the databases we got, and… I'm sorry, Doctor Carter. But everything points out to your husband. As far as intel describes, Doctor Mckay is the one behind your attacks and providing both Goa'uld and Jaffas access to Earth by tampering with the radars"_

"Was it him? Was it really him?" she asked to no one and to all. And blushed fiercely, noticing that she needed to be present more than ever, she couldn't wallow on her own mind because there were bigger thinks at stake.

There always were.

"We don't know for sure, Sammie," her dad told her reassuringly, giving to her hand a light pressing. "It's just text, and it might be just someone trying to put the blame on him and divert attention. However, once we finish the mission, and we have him. Then we will know for sure if Rodney was the human contact or if he's just being used as scapegoat"

She sighed and moved forward, placing her elbows over the table and her head between her hands, she felt the signs of a headache forming. She inhaled deeply and only one word came to her mind. 'Karma'.

She figured then, mostly because the odd looks people around the table was giving her, that she was acting somewhat out of character. She was supposed to be this strong, feminine, smart, cold and detached figure of herself and she was failing miserably allowing herself to feel too deeply the nothing she did and the actions she couldn't change anymore. She packed her thoughts and feelings in a nice mind box and sat straight, stretched her neck and continued.

"Sorry, I was a bit distracted. Can we start from the beginning please? I mean, from the planning of the mission."

They looked at her oddly, and marked her reaction, both the latest and the previous as the effects of the news. It wasn't every day that one gets to learn that "the husband' is the one who was trying to kidnap you and sell you to the meanest Goa'uld alive.

After the meeting ended, her dad was the first one to come and check her. She smiled at him, convinced him she was alright or that at least, she would be, once 'the whole mess is cleared'. And gave him a reassuring smile.

Jack came to her later, and just sat there waiting for her to talk. When she didn't, he then told her she knew where to find him if she needed him. And she left out a whispered, 'can you believe it wasn't that much of a blow?' and he didn't ask her to explain. He knew some day she would actually explain him from where something like that had come from.

Then, she had found solace at her VIP room, hoping that by being there they would let her alone … but then… Then, it was Daniel entering her room.

And that was the one conversation she never wanted to have. Even if both Daniel and Jack knew her well enough, Jack probably was in the same mind set than she, or imagining where she was. He wouldn't talk to her about it, because he too was feeling a little too guilty and a lot of self-loathing. But Daniel… he often managed to put himself and his big mouth as the devil's advocate and he often was right.

"I won't ask you how you feel," he told her, looking at her. "I know there's no possible way you feel good. But also, I know what you learned wasn't what is and was eating you up, Sam. What happened?"

"Nothing really," she sighed, he hummed.

"Sam, I told you before. I know you like him, that you might love him even. But he has a family and so do you."

"Do I, Daniel? I mean, look at this, Jess barely listened to me, yes, we are improving but I'm far from being a good mother. My father, I see him every once in a while, when he's not too busy chasing aliens. My brother, the last time I knew anything from him was because his wife pushed him to call me for my birthday, he doesn't talk to me, he doesn't know Jess at all and he only works for me because he doesn't know the company is mine…. How can that be a family?"

"What about Rodney?"

"What about him? He's trying to kill me, or put a pretty bow over my head and send me somewhere and I don't even know why…"

"But he's family too"

"No, he is not. After Jess conception we were together five times tops. We've been separated since the beginning and you know it. He's not family, he was a well thought contract"

"Then, if it's not him and you aren't feeling guilty about…I don't know, betraying him to say something…" he trailed "what is eating you up?"

"Sarah," she whispered, "but I don't want to talk about that"

"Sam, do you realize you will have to, at some point?"

"Yes… but not today, not with you." She whined

"Why?"

"There are things, Daniel, that I can explain to you, and there are things I can't."

"Then explain me what you can, and I will ask him the same," she raised her eyebrow dubiously, "I'm your friend Sam, I'm not going to tell him anything unless you want me to, don't your trust me?"

"You know I trust you", she squinted.

"Then, tell me? I just want to help..."

"I know Daniel," she sighed, "It's really too complicated and long," he just pushed a chair and sat with a shrug, "I just feel that, every time he's near me, every time he's in the same building, every single damn time he flashes in my mind… I'm betraying her. That if something happens to his marriage, I will be the one to blame and I don't want that… I don't want Charlie hating him or me because of these stupid feelings!" she groaned. "I don't want these feelings, Daniel… I didn't need them before, I don't need them now!"

"Sam," he smiled softly at her, sometimes he felt more like a father than a brother or a friend, he took her hand and made her sit on a chair in front of his, his eyes never faltered as he put a loose strand behind her ears, "Sha're, she was a gift to me, literally, but then I fell in love with her and I didn't want to, I was scared as hell and on another planet with no means to return. But when I lost her, no matter how romantic it sounds, I knew I couldn't live without her"

"That's the difference, Daniel… I love him, I feel I can't breathe when he is around. I feel the darn butterflies and my knees melt and I want nothing more than being in his arms." Daniel felt the but before it came, "However, I can live without him, it's not easy and it's not nice. But I can do it. And I've come to think, that I'm more important to myself, Daniel. I know, I can live without him, but I can't live without me… And right now, I feel I'm losing me"

"Oh Sam…" he told her grabbing her in a heartfelt hug.

"I want so badly to be the one he wants, and that's not me. I want to be right next to him and wake up with him every morning, and take the children to the park and walk Rocket Racoon as we run in the early morning, I want him to take me for dinners he can afford and I want to take him to places he can't. But moreover, I just want to be … Sarah. And that's not me, I can't live with the guilt and we haven't done anything pass cuddling. I could never forgive myself if we did something more…"

"Shh, Sam… everything will be alright"

"I know… I just wish it didn't hurt so bad…" she sighed one last time, cleaning the trail of tears with the back of her hand. "and above all this mess I have somehow managed to put myself in, I have to figure out what the hell I'm going to tell Jess if her father really is guilty. Daniel, if he is… that's treason, how can I ever explain to my daughter that her father was convicted of treason when she can't seem to see the bad things from him?"

"She sees them, Sam. I know she does. She will understand if you explain it to her, maybe, if there's a real need, you can find in yourself the way to convince the Government to give her enough security level to understand what happened, I know it's much more than many kids of SGC people will ever have."

"I don't want her knowing all this, Daniel. I just don't want her to believe that I somehow pushed her father to do it. But I will cross that bridge if I have to," she stood up. The way she did it, the way she carried herself, told him she already knew what she was going to do, if whatever she was scheming in her mind was for her situation with Jack or with Jess and Rodney, he didn't know for sure.

"What are you planning Sam?" he asked concerned.

"I'm… don't worry Daniel, whatever I do, I will never leave you behind." And then, she opened the door and asked him to leave. "Go, go talk to him, he probably is even worse than me"

"Don't do anything stupid?" he asked hopefully

"When did I do something of the like?" she asked with a mischievous smile. And he knew better than to answer.

The knock on his door made him wince, but he walked to it nonetheless. He was a Colonel of the USAF and he didn't fear his own friend.

"Come on in, Daniel…" he commented, opening the door to find… not Daniel, but the former General Carter and current Tok'ra liaison. "Jacob! Come on in… what can I do for you?"

"Ah… I just wanted to ask you a question"

"Jack? Can I … Hi Jacob," Daniel added, embarrassed. "I'll come later..."

"Don't please. I was actually looking for you too, but I couldn't find you."

"I was talking with Sam," he explained casually.

"Good," Jacob nodded in a good manner, "given that the both of you know her well enough." At the frown he got from both men, he rolled his eyes, "come on, Daniel, I know you've been her best friend forever now. And you, Jack… you have lived with her in very close quarters during almost a year. None of you can't exactly tell me you don't know her well enough…"

"Sounds fair…" Jack said, wincing at his own answer.

"I just want to know, how you think she is faring? I mean, she told me 'I'm alright, it's nothing. I just want to get to the end of this' and I believe her, kind of. But you should be able to tell me if she is just lying through her teeth."

"Ah… she told me she's okay and I told her she can come talk to me whenever she wants to." Jack shrugged, Jacob looked at him one eyebrow raised, and he sighed, "I don't think she's okay. But she will be… As far as I know you have a very brave daughter, Jacob. And she will do everything in her power to move forward, not for her but for Jess' sake"

Jacob chewed his lower lips and hummed in agreement. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of," he muttered to himself, before turning towards Daniel, who had started to pace.

"Well, as Jack said. I don't think she's okay. I won't disclose anything she told me, but I too agree she will be okay. She's more worried about what she's going to say to Jess if Rodney is in fact guilty." He told them and they all winced, none of them wanted to be in her shoes during that situation. Jacob assessed both men with his eyes squinted.

"You both will let me know if something else is going on, right?" he asked and they eagerly nodded. "Hmm, okay. If you both agree she isn't okay, but she will be, I guess I will have to trust your word. I'm also trusting that both of you will be there to support her, right?"

"Yes, of course"

"Yeah sure ya' betcha"

They said at once, and Jacob nodded once somehow accepting their answers. He bid them farewell and left the room. He shook his head when Selmak pointed to him that he went in and out of the room exactly with the same status, and that was with the certainty that he had been lied to, and that at the same time all the words that had been said were true.

And he wondered, not for the first time, what destiny had in store for his only daughter and the stubborn Colonel who had managed to save him.


	28. Ends and truths

Hi! Sorry it took me so long. I had several pieces written, but make them just one was painful. So this one is long, hopefully you still like this (fingers crossed)

Enjoy!

M.

 **Chapter 28 – Ends and Truths**

"Hello, Rodney," he looked up to see the woman he married when she wasn't more than a child, and for the first time he thought, 'that's not her', this woman in front of him looked fierce, intelligent, older, and she looked dangerous. And that last fact alone was exactly the opposite of the 17th years old her he carried inside his mind and who was so easy to manipulate. The one supposed to be a night of joy, and became a life with, a caged prison he thought he had built around her. And now, he felt how the last fence was closing around him.

"Sammie…" he added with a sweet smile, trying to defuse the bomb his ex-wife appeared to be, and managing exactly the opposite. He opened his mouth to say something else, however the glare she sent to him was more than enough to shut him up for good.

She looked around, the interrogation room was exactly the same she used to interrogate herself not so long ago, (around 8 or 9 months ago, if not more, her mind provided). Now, Rodney was seated handcuffed to the metal chair, the table was still there, so was the voice recorded and the cameras in all four corners of the room, (to avoid dark areas, her mind told her, since she was the one who had recommended that disposition a long time ago, when the program was just starting and the rooms were used to keep tech and papers, both equally important to get to make the whole Stargate machinery work). As if she got nothing else going through her mind, she walked slowly to the free chair and turned it around, sitting backwards on it, assessing him.

"Sam… let me explain," he told her in a whisper, making her raise her eyebrow and crook her head. Then she smiled at him.

"I just want you to hear you explain one thing, Rodney… explain me what should I say to your daughter when she asks me what happened with her father," she spoke calmly and evenly and his eyes widened, as if for the first time he realized he should be worried about Jess.

"I…"

"Don't you dare to lie to me, Rodney. I know exactly how you lie"

"I don't know what you should tell Jess," he exhaled.

"Then enlighten me, why did you do this? You had it all, and if you didn't, you could have asked for it?"

"Because…."

"Tell me," she growled slowly and he felt a chill run through his bones and he knew he should better give her the right answer or she would find a way to chew his head off.

"I don't know," he whispered again, he had issues trying to find his own voice. And she swore, loudly making him and all those watching the exchange blush with the variety of words which had come out of her mouth.

"Don't tell me that, tell me anything, but that! Tell me, explain me...Why did you do it? How did you come to this? And why did you accept it? I really, really don't understand how someone so smart can be such an imbecile and get stuck in this situation! Tell me, explain it to me and maybe, I can find a way to spare your life and have you serving for life for something which should be a secure death," he blanched and gulped, he as the Goa'uld had this bizarre thought that they could never fail and he just did, hugely.

"I was tired of depending on you, okay? And they offered me a way out. It sounded good, and I took it!" she gasped, "what do you want me to say, Sam? That I'm innocent and I didn't know what this meant for you? That I didn't want them to take you to another planet and make you disappear from Earth? Huh? Is that what you want to hear? Because if that's what you want, then you are asking me for a lie. Alas, you are so used to living a lie that you can actually believe it. Right?"

"No"

"No? But here you are pretending you are the poor little victim and I know, as well as you do that you were living a lie. Since inside your pathetic mind you believe Colonel O'Neill will pay attention to you, even if that's on his own sad cabin in the middle of the woods…you are so darn gullible and dumb that I didn't even need to find someone to follow you, until those days you two spend cuddling as teenagers at his cabin." She closed her eyes and sighed, she had heard that part before.

"I actually wanted to give you a chance, Rodney, for Jess's sake. But you are just burying yourself down, if you keep this up, there will be nothing else that I can do"

"Then kill me yourself! Or are you that much of a coward?" he told her.

With that, she finally managed to make up her mind. She stood up and turned the chair around, and then, she walked out pass the room on the other side of the mirror and down to Hammond's office. She knocked his door and entered not that much later.

"Sam? What can I do for you?" He asked, putting down the files he was reading, probably files about the mission that brought Rodney and his senior staff to jail.

"I…" she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "I can't keep coming to the SGC. I can't present any charges against him, I can't for Jess sake. I can send a good attorney and the government will probably go with a life sentence and a lot of money. But if do that… I can't keep coming to the SGC."

"Because the feelings you have for Colonel O'Neill?" he asked seriously, she shook her head no and then yes. She huffed, collapsing heavily on the chair.

"That's not the real reason, is A reason." She looked at him pleadingly, "You know me, you know I would never take a step back just for feelings." He nodded, "I can't keep coming, because every time they'll see me, they'll see the wife of McKay, they'll see the reason behind his decision to sell himself to Sokar… I pushed him towards Sokar... And how can I possibly return here, and work here if the people can't trust in me because of him?" she stopped, she took a breath. "School end is just a couple of weeks away, I will work with your techs, to make them ready to do more advanced things on their own and I will also explain how they will be able to connect with me in case there's need… then I will take off. Both Jess and I can use a vacation."

"That you do," he smiled at her, "Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked assessing her.

"Well, there's no much that I can do, as I said, I could add my own part to it and bury him more…"

"Which you won't"

"Which I won't."

"You are going to help him"

"I will," she nodded in agreement, "I'm going to intervene and plead to keep him alive, I don't really care where, I just care that Jess can still contact her father in case she ever wants to, and that's what I will be fighting for"

"And there's nothing I can do to stop you from abandoning us when you do," he affirmed and she smiled sadly.

"I'm not abandoning you, even if it feels like it, I'm just giving you, us… sometime to grow. We need the time apart. I, to remember what was like to be alive. Jess to remember how is like to be a kid, and the SGC… to notice you can run on your own without me to save you from things you know how to fix"

"I will miss you, Sammie," he added standing and opening his arms widely. And she jumped at the change and hugged him as she hadn't done in a long while.

"I will miss you too," she told him.

It took Jack a couple of days to understand what he had seen and why something which had looked so uncharacteristically of them had left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, even if he knew Hammond was her godfather.

Yet, he had not learned she had left until it was obvious, when SG-1 couldn't go because the gate was under maintenance and she wasn't there. Daniel already knew. He also didn't know about her conversation with Charlie… until it was years later and they confessed it up on a dinner.

But her, she was surprised two days before the last day of school, when Charlie O'Neill presented himself at her office, accompanied by Jess whom quickly assured her that Philips was down waiting to take her to the house, because she knew the secretaries would let her come in without issues, but that wouldn't be true for her friend. Mother and daughter exchanged a quick hug and then Jess left them.

"Charlie…" she told him, walking towards the sofa in her office, (a new set she had to buy to see if she could forget how Jack always collapsed on the previous one, telling her he couldn't believe she managed to find something so comfortable and never had used it), shaking her head out of the memory, she patted the spot beside her and he walked to her, biting his lower lip, something she was pretty sure he picked from Jess. "What can I do for you?"

"I…" he inhaled deeply, "my teachers told me that what I managed with this year academics will look nice on my permanent records."

"However…"

"It will only be a year…" he trailed.

"Oh," she frowned a little, "and that's why you are here?"

"I know both my father and you were dumped into this mission. I know you didn't really need to bring me or my mom over, or keep us here and give us food and a house and a car… and much less pay the best school around… and yet, you did"

"Charlie…" she smiled softly, "I couldn't leave you behind, is your family. I know how important is to have them at your age, at any age really. Yes, we got dumped into this mission together, but it was my choice to leave you behind or not, I could pick any of those…"

"And still, here we are. Don't take me wrong, I'm not blaming you for the issues of my parents, they were this way long before you came along, and I'm not here for 'grownup issues'," he quoted the last part with his fingers.

"Then why are you here?" he lowered his head and blushed and inhaled deeply

"I want to ask you if you could, I don't know give me a scholarship for a good school back in Colorado, I really want to go to a good university and I don't want to be a burden for my dad with the cost of it, and I don't really want to take student loans, Jess explained them to me and I will be in debt forever and I know you have scholarships and I know you like me enough to at least give me a chance?" he told her non stopping even for a breath.

"That's all?" she asked surprised, and he nodded yes and the no. "No? What else?"

"I don't really want my dad or mom knowing I'm here, or that you are the one behind the scholarship."

"Oh…" she bit her lower lip pensively, "Okay, but you have to promise you will do it too," His eyes widened comically, and he nodded eagerly. "I will make sure you get a place in the best school in Colorado, and you will make sure to keep the scores high, so keeping it doesn't become an issue… and we both keep shut about where it came from. Deal?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay… now, I'm pretty sure your mom will be very worried if you don't get home soon"

"Yeah…Thanks Miss C," he told her and she frowned, "ah, Jess told me about the divorce," Sam opened her mouth, "don't worry, she also told me no one, but her knows. That also won't come from me."

"You are a good kid Charlie"

"I have a good example, and Jess is right, you are cool Miss C." he finished with a wave, closing the door behind him.

What Jack did learn the following day, when he arrived to help his family pack their things to return for good to Colorado was that a private school had sent a letter to his son, accepting him as a student and presenting him with funding alternatives, including a full scholarship program if he needed it. Charlie's eyes widened as he read the note, because yes, he had talked with Sam, but he didn't expect her to move things so fast.

"I think you should accept it, Charlie"

"I will, dad! This is amazing!"

"You know why they picked you?"

"My teacher told me this morning that someone from school knew I was going to Colorado for the next year and they recommended me for this and apparently I got it"

The thing that nor Charlie nor Jack ever knew was that Sam had made sure Charlie had a good education secured for the following years, even if he hadn't asked. She saw the potential in him, even if Charlie hadn't before.

That night the O'Neills had celebrated and surprisingly, Sarah and Jack hadn't fought or raised their voices the whole day. It was the next day, when Charlie asked to go to the beach with his friends for one last time and they couldn't help, but lose against the puppy eyes of the kid and Jess, that he noticed something was off with Sarah.

"What's wrong?" he asked, squinting at her.

"Nothing..." It was the first time they were alone since he asked for his transference to Colorado

"Sarah…"

"You took her to the cabin…" she spat at him. "for crying out loud Jack, she has enough money to take her daughter on a three months' vacation around the world, but no… at the first hole you got to be with her alone… you took her to the cabin"

"What the hell are you talking about Sarah? The whole mission thing has finished a good month or two ago… when did I take her to the cabin?" he asked with eyebrows raised.

"That's your answer? The mission is over, and when did I take her? come on Jack… as if you don't know when you took her to your grandfather's house, the one that not even your kid knows!"

"If you are talking about what I believe you are talking, Sarah… we both know, you and I were separated back then, we might not have been divorced back then, but I you know as well as I do, that it was filled and we will be divorced as soon as you get back to Colorado. And yes, I know your interest in staying here until the end of the school year has more to do with it, than with your son's school. And yes, I took her there… General Hammond ordered me to help her disappear to a place no one expected her to go. He asked me, not her, and I ... I can't afford any other place, even if she can. So, did you wanted me to take money out of Charlie's educational fund to get her to a private island or something?" he answered as calmly as he could.

"But it was your home, Jack…. The place you never took me…" she whined.

"I'm sorry." He told her for real, he was really sorry that they had to get so far for him to notice how poorly based his decision of staying with her was before. "It's that the reason? And anyway, why now? I mean you never wanted to go…"

"Still, even if I never wanted to go… you shouldn't not have taken her"

"You know, I really was starting to believe you had changed, not enough for us to remain, but at least, I thought we could start to get along again, for Charlie's sake. But for old times! I took her there because it was the first place I could think of, and Hammond had already sent a team to check it when I started to have second thoughts about it. There was no going back after that…" he shrugged and she laughed.

"And you think that order came out of nowhere? He probably was rooting for her all along!"

"Rooting for her?"

"Yes! Oh! don't give me that look! I saw how she looked at you as a good piece of meat, she couldn't wait to put her perfectly done hands all over you… and you fell for her games. She used you, Jack, she played you so perfectly and she got to get rid of you and of her husband after she got everything she ever wanted."

"She's married," he pointed

"So are you"

He was about to storm out of the room, just to avoid fighting with her anymore. But then, something fell into place and he turned around, confused and looking at her as if he hadn't looked at her before.

"I know when and why I took her to the cabin… I but remember distinctly not having anyone known it, I remember planning it so carefully that the only other person who knew where I was taking her was General Hammond and the team who had searched the house a day earlier… and that didn't include you," he pointed and she gave a couple of steps back. Until her back was against the library of the room she was packing. He stepped closer, menacing. Oh, she knew he wouldn't touch a hair of her head, but that didn't make him any less frightening. "Tell me, Sarah…what did you do?" he hissed.

"I did what I had to do," she spat straightening herself, she had the law on her side if she proved that he had done something to her. She smiled wickedly, her revenge time was finally here. She would finally get her vengeance for all he had put her through, for all he had forced her to do, even if he never knew what that was. She turned around and grabbed a folder. "This is how I know," she shoved him the folder and moved to step away from him, but not so far away, she wanted to see his expression when she looked at them.

He opened the folder and his eyes widened the moment he saw the first image, where Sam appeared, lying on the chair of his cabin, looking up to the skies. The next one, showed him coming out, and one by one, he took out images depicting what they were doing there. Whomever got the pictures was really close to them, close enough to have a picture of them kneeling in front of each other with the head buried in the other shoulder.

"What the hell? Where did you get this? How did you get this?" He asked, she smirked.

"Well, Rodney was quite happy to find out you two had disappeared together and even more when he could send a detective to get pictures to make him the good one for the appealing on the cause of his divorce. I know he got quite an extra for these…just to make him shut. He sent these ones to me, if I ever wanted to use them"

"Rodney? How did he know? Sam told him…" he muttered to himself, feeling betrayed, but she wouldn't would she…

"Nah, she's too darn careful to talk to him, they barely talked at all since you appeared. She actually filed her divorce early this year, these came quite useful for him, I know he got an extra billion or something from them." He groaned.

"Sarah! You are making no sense at all"

"I'm not? Your girlfriend has been divorced since January, Jack. Are you telling me you didn't know? Ha! I don't believe this… you could have taken the chance in the cabin, but you didn't because you didn't know she was divorced?... this is too good. Then I should add that I was the one who pointed Rodney to your location, he already told me he was a free man, and billionaire one, and we were already separated, anyway…"

"Sarah…" he added menacingly and she shrugged

"Well, when you two disappeared, I called the hangar, Paul was there and he did the favor of checking where did you go, the plane was parked at North Dakota and from there, Jim told him they had dropped you at a rental. Then I talked with Nancy, and she told me 'oh that's so weird, she was scheduled for Texas', so she called the hotel you were supposedly staying and you weren't there. I called Rodney and he explained me they didn't have anything close to there, and that it wasn't the first time she would fly to somewhere and disappear for a time. He supposed you were close… and surprise! You have a place you love on the next state! It wasn't very difficult to find…"

"What? Why?"

"Why? You betrayed me, Jack. How couldn't I? I mean, I've got hundreds of lovers over the years and since we started dating, some of them even gave me babies I couldn't keep because I loved you. I never once, stopped loving you. And here you come and fall in love with someone else? How could you?"

"You what?"

"What part was so difficult to understand, Jack? Really, I really don't get this woman either, she is supposedly so smart and she changes Rodney for you, the man is smart, has money and it's better in bed."

"You have been with other men?" he asked not believing the words coming from his ex-wife mouth. "All along?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, before smiling venomously at him, "I'm not even sure Charlie is yours," with that she turned around and left the room.

Jack stormed out of the room, not being able to stay put any longer and out of the penthouse/condo/ whatever name they gave it, without slamming the front door. He considered doing it, but he was pretty sure that if something happened to that door, he wouldn't be able to afford it. He also found that angrily pressing buttons didn't help to ease the need to kill someone he was currently feeling.

He started to walk without a definite place in mind, his walk became faster and soon he was running. People stared at him and he decided to get closer to the water, and not knowing why he soon was standing in front of the darn Fish and Chips restaurant Sam had taken them the first night in town. He wasn't hungry but when he stopped someone bumped into him.

"Colonel O'Neill?" he asked, "I'm Miles Harley, we met a couple of weeks ago. I went to see if I left my cell in the car and I found you instead." He smiled, "you are coming in, right?" Jack nodded and followed the man.

"Yeah, but it's been closer to a year, not a couple of weeks"

"Already? Huh, I've never been good with time, for me, is like it never quite passes, I remember seeing you and your family with Sam like it was yesterday," Jack only nodded, not quite knowing what to say, "You know when I first met her, I probably looked just like you do now"

"Huh?"

"Sam…don't worry, all I said that time about how we met, it's true. A remarkable person she is. But she's worth it"

"I have no idea what are you talking about," he told him

"Are you sure? I do know people, Colonel. Not quite like her, I understand people and I think you know exactly why I'm telling you this… I won't judge. I can't. Just let me tell you something," Miles moved them to the same corner table they had used before, he also brought two beer bottles along.

"Isn't a little early for beer?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Miles smiled knowingly placing the bottles in front of them. They sat there for a while, just nursing the unopened bottles. "When I met her, she was 17. She wasn't this broken yet, she was on her way to become the billionaire? Multi billionaire? Whatever billionaire she is, you know the history?" Jack shook his head no. "She went to college a year after her mother passed away, leaving her some money sitting in a bank account, she had a huge fight with her dad and her brother, then, she took a scholarship and went to college."

"She's smart"

"Yeah, everybody told her she could be anything she wanted. But anything is not defining. So, she didn't know what the hell she wanted to be, and took everything." Jack opened his bottle and Miles smiled. "That's how she ended up meeting her best friend"

"Daniel Jackson," Miles nodded

"She took finances and learned how to make investments. Then she took part of her money and doubled it in only two months. Daniel told me once she's a Midas King, whatever she touches is instant gold. But she was fifteen, and you don't need money or attention at such age. I don't know how she opened a company and made more money, I know whomever helped her with the legal part, died leaving it fully and legally to her. While she was at it, she continued studying and getting degree after degree. And company after company. When I met her, she had a lot of money, but you wouldn't never know by only looking at her. They came to me and we talked for hours, Sam and Danny, were my only customers that night. But the next day… I was approached by a man, he offered to be my partner and months later I was the owner of this. And you might be wondering what this has to do with her? It's simple really, she didn't want me knowing it was her doing. She still believes I don't know she was behind this and I still let her. It makes her happy. Instead, I tell her every time I can that she's my guardian angel."

"It's a really nice history..."

"But was does it have to do with you, right?"

"Yeah…"

"You think you know her, but she's not as tough as she wants everyone believe she is. She ain't no white dove either. This probably not even Danny knows, but a friend of mine got drunk and fessed up he knew her from Gulf War, she killed hundreds there. I told him 'my Sammie? Impossible', but he had a pic with her and her plane. I guess we all are a little dark, right?" he looked knowingly at Jack, "She's a great kid, but she's missing a lot. She lost her mother too early, her father abandoned her when she needed him the most and her brother is an ass, and that's probably she was so helpless when Rodney appeared in her life. He knew how to say things and what to say to her, and somehow he pushed her father to push her into the marriage. But don't worry, she also knows he's full of crap"

"What?"

"Oh, you know, her husband disappears for months in a row, he's seen with different girls at different places. He has money, her money mostly, but you know flaunting it can get you flies"

"So you are confirming he cheats on her and that she knows he do?" Jack inquired and Miles laughed dryly.

"As if you didn't notice it, please, she knows every single thing he's doing behind her back. But if I'm talking about that, I will tell you, she hurts, but she won't do a thing. Because she doesn't know better. She probably believes that's the only kind of love she deserves. He cheats, he steals, you name it and he probably does it. But he is the father of her daughter, so he is 'entitled'", he snorted, "I know you are troubled Colonel, I can see it in your eyes, I don't know what your issues are, but you got here for a reason. I can tell you this… if she, broken and alone, could rise from her own ashes, while someone is pissing on them all the time and managed to build a life worth living, whatever issue we have, it might be simpler, don't you think? I mean, before I met her, my issue was money, and it's a complicated issue, you need it to eat and give your love ones something to eat, but you still have loved ones who care about you, you still have people supporting you. She has Daniel, whose life has become such a secret she barely sees him anymore. She has Jess, and the girl was trying so hard to become what her father wants her to be, that she pushed away the one she should have kept closer. We have people, she doesn't"

"I don't quite know what to say"

"Then don't say anything, and really, don't. If she finds out I told you all this, she might kill me and God knows she can defend herself"

"Mr. Harley"

"Miles"

"Miles, I don't know why are you telling me all this, but thank you"

"Yeah, sure 'you don't know'" Miles laughed, "the girl is growing, and changing to a better version of herself, and that's since you got into their lives, you did help"

"How do you know if you haven't seen her in a long while?"

"I don't need to see Sam, but Jess has been around enough to let me know things are improving. She talks about her mother and not about the expectations of her father. If that's not improving… I don't know what it is. Now if you don't mind, the midday crew is bound to be here any minute, you are welcome to stay!" he finished shouting from the other side of the kitchen.

He finished his beer looking outside, the sun was high and the ocean was roaring as usual, and he sighed. His life was complicated, he was no genius, but he was a good soldier, he had more secrets than anyone else he knew. But still, he had a family, his parents would be there in case he needed them. His brother always joked about his military bravado, but he was always there in case he needed a knock in the head. His sister, she was something else, she always would come to him and tell him exactly what she thought and she didn't think highly of Sarah back then. He rubbed his face thinking what she would say if she found out what Sarah had told him. And even if she did all she had said she did, he still had Sarah for support when he needed her… and he had Charlie. He had pushed Charlie away at first to keep him safe, until his brother knocked some sense into him. Now, he didn't know if he could ever live without his kid.

Charlie… he might not even have been his.

And then, an image of Doctor Samantha Carter came to his mind, not the smiling one everyone got to see, but the one with a sad eyes and self deprecating smile who asked him personal questions while making a bomb. The one he saw under all the walls, everyone else thought it was her. The one Miles told him about. His heart skipped a beat, and he swore, because not even in the early days of Sarah, he had felt what he just felt thinking of Sam.

He walked back to the building and grabbed the car they gave him when he landed, and soon he found himself using the palm scan, because he knew, that the only one who could help him mend his own mess was her, no matter how messed up she was.


	29. One for the road

**Hello!**

 **Well, this was a long journey! If you figured it out, both of them were one divorced and the other "separated" but not legally divorced while cuddling :) So, yup, you can go back and read that part with a less guilty feeling (or at least I can)**

 **I have to thank you all for the support and the patience, you all had. You rock!**

 **Anyhow… maybe this is the last time I get to say this… so …**

 **Enjoy!**

 **M.**

 **Chapter 29 – One for the road**

He was in. His palm was still part of the recognition software, somehow. And, he rolled slowly the miles separating the entrance from the house, until he couldn't but park and get down. He took the stairs slowly, on a completely different way than he used to when they used to get home tired and wired. (No, he still didn't know when exactly he started to call her house 'home') And in a less jumpy way than when they came down half jogging half asleep during the starts of their morning run. It didn't matter the time, eventually, he got to the top and found himself in front of the door. He was never here before without knowing what exactly do with himself. Do you ring a bell? Shout a name? What do you do when you visit someone and passed their palm recognition software? He was still trying to figure that one out, and thought he might get a better chance of someone seeing him or seeing someone, if he went towards the back and closer to the kitchen and it was just when he turned around that the heavy door opened on his back and a voice made him stop.

"Colonel O'Neill! I thought we lost you for good," Anita commented with a clap and a joyful smile. "Come on in! Turn around, let me see if you have been fed properly," the old lady who had taken care of him with the same fervor than she did with Sam and Jess spoke which such a joy that he couldn't help but do as ordered before trying to open his mouth to ask about Sam's whereabouts, "Does she knows you are here? I don't think she does, otherwise she would have told me… never mind, I will bring you both lunch, I'll take you still know how to find her…"

"Lab?" he risked

"No, actually…" she frowned, "she's down at the garage. Something about saying farewell to her babies… that woman and her cars. She's probably covered up in oil and fur." Jack raised an eyebrow, on the months he was there, he had never seen her with the cars, "Rocket racoon, he sticks with her when Jess not around. Please do make her remember she's supposed to look presentable for the dinner"

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, she's taking for dinner all Jess's classmates…it's just at the restaurant by the sea, she and Miles organize it every year. Now, hush! Go"

He entered the elevator, and it was weird really, he rarely used the button down. But he did now, and thought that probably it was an 'environmental change' that both needed to take this conversation by the horns. Well, he needed at least. He walked in and like the first time he was in there, he looked around in awe, but didn't see her. Then he saw Rocket Racoon sitting right next to a car and a couple of sneakers and legs coming from down the same car.

"Doctor Carter?" he told him and regretted it the second he heard her head thump and the small 'ouch' which followed. But then, the cart in which she was laying rolled out and she came out of below the car, scratching the new bump she just had gotten, she put the brake on the cart while complaining about Anita sending people to scare her or something he didn't clearly heard. And then, she stopped, she sat there and looked up, eyes widened and mouth slightly opened. Anita was right, she was half covered in oil; and still she looked gorgeous, his mind added

"Colonel O'Neill?" she ventured and shook her head to see if she could think again.

"Yeah… I…"

"What's wrong? What happened?" She said extending her hand, as a way to ask him to help her up, but he sat on the floor beside her instead, and leaned on the car just like she was doing. Rocket racoon moved his tail and raised his ear but didn't move. He sighed and she placed her hand on top of his thigh and gave it a light press, his hand searched for hers and they locked. The current they always felt when in touch did its appearing and both smiled, looking down to the floor in front of them and enjoying the odd comfort that the situation brought.

"So… what is it?" she whispered.

"Ah," he huffed, "I don't think I've ever seen you here"

"This is the first time I got time, since all the mess started," she smiled sadly, "I had to give up things too, Colonel, this was one of them. But you are not here for my troubles, what's eating you up?"

"I really don't know where to start. I don't really know why I'm here"

"You are going to go back to Colorado," she stated, "everything is going to be okay once you get home and go on with your life, you'll see." He opened his mouth to speak, because he didn't see it and then he shook his head. He could speak up now, or could avoid it altogether. Then, he remembered he was there for a reason, just like when he found himself at Miles restaurant earlier.

"Charlie might not be mine," he left out quickly and painfully. She held her breath, and opened her mouth to say something, anything really. But nothing came out. "Impressed?" He hissed, she turned her head around to look at him and he did the same.

"I… I must say I was under the impression she cheated on you before." He raised his eyebrow comically, "She judged you too much and people always judge from experience," she shrugged, "I hoped she was one of those rare cases of someone who learns things from other people or that her jealousy was medically explained, but I guess it wasn't." She fell silent, "For what it helps…I'm sorry…" she said pressing his hand once more. "I can help you find out, Jack. If you want, I can offer you to test your DNAs..."

"Would you?"

"Of course"

"But?"

"Whatever the result is, Jack. Charlie is your child, he's your son. He loves you and no result from a test will be enough to take that away from you. And won't change who he is, not really."

"I know, but it's reassuring to know someone else believes that too"

They fell silent for a while, the significance of what they both had said floating in the air. They both had truths to tell and none of them knew exactly how to tell them. And then, Rocket Racoon started to bark and happily move his tail.

"I'm going to leave this here for you two. Kid, you do remember you have to get ready for dinner, right?" Anita asked and Sam blushed, "And you Colonel, I thought I told you to make her remember…" she mock glared him, then she noticed the joined hands and smiled brightly. "Anyhow, eat up... you both are too skinny already"

They both stood up gingerly and Sam patted her jean with her hands, forgetting completely about the oil covering them, she sighed when she noticed the dark spots over her pants. And blushed heavily when she noticed the spots had transferred to his hand and the place where she had grabbed his thigh. She took his hand again and lead him towards the back where she had a sink installed and apologized for the mess she did. After washing their hands, they walked back to the place where Anita had left two sandwiches for them.

"This is nice," she told him with a smile and he nodded in agreement. "Jack… you know you can talk with me, about anything, right?"

"I know… I just can't find the words right now"

"Kay"

"That also goes for you, by the way," he commented, looking her from above his sandwich. She nodded.

"I have to thank you, for all you did for me. I don't think we would be here today if it wasn't for your skills"

"Ah…yes, you are welcome," he told her blushing, "Was it hard? To tell Jess?" he inquired softly, because he wanted to know, since he worried about both.

"Yes…" she told him looking at him straight into his eyes, "but it was easier than I thought I would have been"

"How come?"

"Well, I thought she would blame me and I don't know, run away or something. But she didn't, she didn't even yell at me. She sat in her bed and looked at the floor and apologized for making life harder for me. It was a bit anticlimactic considering how much thought, I put into all the big crisis scenarios," she joked, "but it made my speech easier and it broke my heart at the same time. It's not easy to be the one who breaks your own kid heart for the first time"

"I don't think you were the first," he commented and she frowned, "I remember her trying to be what her father wanted and I saw how heartbroken she was when he didn't like what he saw." He explained softly, "All in all, it probably was a good think she wasn't so close to him and learned better how to deal with his perception of her"

"I guess so, she's still pained tough, she will always be. I know that." She shrugged, "You know? I don't think Rodney noticed that by doing that to me, he would be messing up with our kid too. Or at least, I hope he didn't… If I must confess something is that the only thing I envy from SamA, is that she doesn't have this binding bond with her Rodney. She can do as she pleases; I know she too recommended him for a life sentence for all the knowledge he can provide but… she doesn't have an official attachment to him." She tried to explain

"I heard he was going for a life term to either 51 or Leavenworth, due to the amount of military stuff he had access to"

"Yeah, we can't throw him on a regular jail and hope he stays shut"

"What will you do now?"

"I will travel around with Jess. And then we will come back to school, she really likes being there. Then, we will see…"

"Will we see you again at the SGC?"

"Perhaps…" she smiled mysteriously, then she laughed, "you probably will. My software is bound to break at some point, I can't keep myself away from it forever and I know it, I just need to be able to deal with all the stuff on my own, before I can be submitted to the glares. People died because of him and by extent because of me…"

"It's not your fault"

"I know… it doesn't make it any easier," she smiled, "what about you? What are you going to do?"

"Get all of us home and try to sort out our lives. I will take you on that and send you the DNA samples if you don't mind"

"I don't, but give them to Janet, she will know where to send them. Just tell her I asked you to send me some samples for my archives. She won't ask more."

"Oki doki"

"So, go on with your lives sounds…" she looked for a word, would he forgive Sarah? She wanted to know, instead she just said, "good"

"Well, it won't be like before," Jack raised his hands, "Charlie got a scholarship, he will be at the best private school Colorado has."

"Really?" She asked, surprised.

"Yup… apparently, some teacher proposed him to that school and he was picked from a bunch of kids, he deserves it"

"Yes, he really does." She agreed with him

"I don't know quite how, but he turned out well," he shrugged. She wanted to press his hand once more, desired to caress his hair, and assure him everything would be okay.

"You are a great father," she complimented, instead, with a small smile. He smiled back, but then his sandwich was finished and he didn't know what else to say.

"I have to go, I gotta finish packing, we are leaving tomorrow after all." He inhaled deeply, it sounded so final.

"Will I ever see you again?" She asked hopefully, wanting more than this somewhat deep, but mostly frivolous goodbye.

"I heard there was a meeting tonight for celebrating the end of school for the kids?" She bit her lower lip and nodded.

"Yup, care to join me?" she asked before she realized what she did.

"At the fish and chips restaurant? Anita told me," she nodded and he did too, "I'll see you then"

"You can't miss me there," she smiled. "I'll be there by 17:30..."

"Then," he looked at her after checking his watch, "I'll see you soon"

He left the house feeling he hadn't had exactly tackled the conversation he wanted to have, but he had the one he needed. He had managed to put the most disturbing thought out loud and she told him exactly what he needed to hear. And yet, he wanted to hear so much more. He reached the condo not quite noticing the road and collected the things from the rooms he saw were still half way through being collected, and avoided conversation with Sarah. She (thankfully) did the same. He, then, walked in the room he had picked for his stay, (the same one he used to pick since he had returned from Colorado after they had separated in January after he complained he couldn't keep sleeping in the floor of the room at Sam's home any longer), showered and dressed in one of the suits Sam had bought for him. He wasn't sure why he had brought it with him, but know he knew. And then, once he was all cleaned up, he thanked God the restaurant was so close or he would be late. And then, he found himself helping Miles with a crate at 17:30 after he parked the car in the last available spot.

"I'm glad you found her," Miles told him, patting him on the shoulder once they both left the things in the kitchen. "You look all fancy, she'll like it"

"Where is she anyways?" he asked, looking around.

"Ah, she's probably outside. I added a small pier towards the other side, I use it to put some music for the folks who like to dance," loud voices filled the place, "time to work! You should get out of here, Colonel. Otherwise, your fancied-up dressing will smell like kitchen." Jack nodded and left. As he suspected the place was filled up with 13 years old. A couple of adults were around, but he didn't see her. Someone bumped him and he thought for sure it would be her, but surprisingly he found Jess by his side.

"I'm glad you made it, Jack," she told him. "I'll get her for you," she added before walking away.

"Hi, I'm Susan… Jordan's mother. I don't believe we have met?" a brunette hottie told him, with a wide smile on her face.

"Jack!" Sam completed from his side a huge smile on her face, "I don't believe you have met Susan Thompsom."

"I don't believe I have, no." he answered, surprised.

"Susan… this is Colonel O'Neill," Sam introduced.

"I'll take you are Charlie's father, Jack?" Susan almost purred

"Yes, but you might call me Colonel." He added and the woman huffed and walked away. "That went well," Sam laughed.

"She probably saw in you a good prospect for husband Number 5," she explained

"No, I don't think I will be a good husband number 5, a good husband number 2 maybe. But 5 is 4 husbands too much," they both laughed.

"It's good to have you here, Jack."

"How does this work?" he asked, all he knew was that Jess and Charlie asked him to go to the beach and that she was supposedly dropping him at night after dinner.

"Well, it's easy actually. It's something we do every year. Every parent tries to be here by this date, but most can't get away with it. So, we are a few who can take such liberties and we divide activities. We try to have at least 4 parents at the same place. For example, Mary's mom, she waits for them at the beach, they were 6 moms with her this year. Then, they move to Mike's home, where they shower and dress and his dad, Michael, who's a chef, gives them lunch. Once they are all finished, Janice, she is Audrey's mom, she waits for them at a theater with another 4 parents. They go for a movie, and afterwards they come here. We feed them and there's always music and games," she explained, pointing to the different kids and their parents. "And all parents are welcomed here, it's sort of a tradition"

"Sounds nice, like a very knitted group"

"Well, most of the kids have been classmates since the beginning, and there are many, like Charlie, who only come for a period of time. The kids are used to meet people and bring them to their closed group in no time. It's amazing how they manage"

"Education maybe?"

"Probably. I do hope that all losing people doesn't make her too cold afterwards," someone waved at Sam and she excused herself to talk with another woman. Someone's father joined him and talked about the first thing he could come up. Jack followed his lead, because he was too worried observing her. Both Jess and Charlie noticed how comfortable their parents were before and exchanged a glance and moved to sit together.

"You think they will do it finally?" Jess asked Charlie

"I sure hope so, I mean, your mom is divorced. My dad is almost there… it's their chance"

"I hope they see it the way we see it"

"I'm going to talk with dad"

"Charlie…" Jess warned

"Don't worry, I won't mess it up"

"Dad?" he questioned when he reached the place where his dad was speaking with Mr. Franklin. Jack frowned and blushed, "hey, whatcha doing here?" He asked once Jack had excused them and moved them to an empty table.

"Ah… Doctor Carter told me," he shrugged and Charlie flinched. And Jack took it all wrong, "look, this will be the last time we see her, them. I don't want to make a scene"

"What?"

"I mean it, if you don't like I'm here… I can go. But don't make a scene"

"Dad, I have no idea what are you talking about." Charlie confessed, and Jack opened his mouth to speak. His kid raised his hand to stop him, "before you get this all wrong. Dad, there's no easy way to say this. I know you love her, Miss C, I mean, Jess' mom. I've known for a while, it was too obvious. And I know you and mom stood together because you wanted me to have a better life with both parental figures, but let's be honest, you both sucked at pretending. The thing you had was no marriage, it was a roman circus or something. I should let you know it was awful for me to grow up knowing you would fight every time you returned home, and I used to wish you didn't anymore and I felt awful at the end. And even if mom believes she loves you, she does it all wrong, I know that now. I've seen what good love is and I want that for you, dad. So, go... and get her, champ!"

"Charlie, that's…"

"Very mature of me? I know… someone has to be the grown up here," he finished winking at his dad, and then he ran to grab food.

"She's over there," Jess told him instants later, pointing him towards the other end of the restaurant where a double door he didn't notice before was. "She loves it outside, complained a lot about it when Miles first explained what he wanted, but she loves it nonetheless"

"Thanks…" he trailed

"She knows I agree with her, go," she laughed, pushing him to move.

He started to walk and looked over his shoulders to watch the two kids talking to each other conspiratorially and then, they started to go around and be the kids they were. He on the other side, was a man on a mission. He inhaled deeply and walked towards the end, and looked out. As Jess' had pointed she was there, at the end of the mini pier, the wind moved the skirt of her flowy dress, making the fabric stick to her body and messing with her hair. It was a vision to behold, and he pushed the door open and moved to her. She straightened, and he noticed she had felt him come closer.

"Here you are," he told her standing beside her, she smiled still looking at the sea.

"Here I am," she affirmed.

"I love you, Sam," he whispered after a while, and she closed her eyes, relishing in the marvelous feeling of being loved. He waited for her to open her eyes and maybe even answer him in the same manner, "and I want you around, I need you around".

She closed her eyes tightly, and sighed. One tear escaped her closed eyes, but as she turned around to face him, he saw hundreds of them being contained in those bright blue eyes of hers, and got ready for a punch.

"I love you, Jack," she answered in a whisper, fighting with her hair in the same, almost as if it was her emotions pilling up. "I want to be around; I need you around"

"But…" he added for the sake of both, she slumped a little.

"There's Sarah…" she told him

"Not for long," he added quickly.

"And there are so many complications, Jack. Whatever we have, it didn't start with a good foot. We can't pretend it did. I need you, yes, like the air I breath, I miss you, and I feel like part of me left with you, and it will leave me again tonight," She stopped and took a deep breath, "But I also need to find me again. To find what I've lost with Jess. You understand it, right?" He nodded. "And I know that even if there's no Sarah, you too need to find your own footing, we aren't kids Jack, we can just launch ourselves to whatever this is hoping everything will be alright, can we?" she asked, another tear fell. Her stomach clenched, she wanted him to lie to her, she wanted him to tell her they could, that they should just give up whatever fear and just face that destiny wanted them together. But she knew her words had an impact, she knew he also needed to find himself before he could be fully hers.

"We both need to sort things out," he whispered.

"That's what I feared you would answer"

"That means it's the right answer"

"You know where to find me, right?"

"Yes, and you know where to find me…"

"Always"

"Always"

"You know… Charlie hoped we would end up together," he commented, looking at the sea, both trying hard to build up walls that would take them nowhere, and that someday they would have to break again for each other.

"Jess thought the same," she told him, cleaning her face with the back of her hands. "Too bad, they aren't' us, they seem to have us all figured out, when we ourselves can solve the riddle we are"

"Yeah… I should go back in, before someone thinks that we were doing something inappropriate out here"

"It won't be a first," she told him and both chuckled, remembering all those parties where people looked at them with knowing eyes, as if they were making out in the dark and not only hiding from the crowd like they really did. He walked a couple of steps and turned around, with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Someday… all of them will be right and I will be able to be inappropriate with you, on a dark corner during a ball." He winked at her, and she felt the promise in his words and nodded.

He joined the party again, and later, so did she. He heard her explaining the wind was too strong and that it had made her eyes water. And once again, he was surprised with how at ease she was with closing her feelings for everyone, and show them freely to him. Then, one by one, children and parents started to leave, he saw Philips at the party and walked towards him, the driver happily explained he was working for Jess that day, and that Sam drove in her own car that night. He remembered seeing a Shelby parked outside, the same car she was fixing early that day. And shook his head. Jess joined them for a few, just to let him know that if he agreed, she was staying for the night at the condo, for the last pajama party she would get to have with Charlie. Then, it only was him, the crew from the restaurant… and her.

He knew she somehow ended up again out there, Miles winked at him when he saw him move and Jack smiled. It was hard to have all that pressure and expectations of everyone else, when he himself knew as much as she did, they both were right, this time they would have to walk the road of their lives alone. It didn't make it any easier, not on him and definitely not for her. She was crying now, he saw. The tears brimmed down her face and she was sucking her own lip and looked the epitome of sadness. This time when he was about to reach her, he stopped behind her, and she laid back on him. He embraced her from behind and she turned around in his arms.

They locked eyes, and stared straight into each other's soul. They didn't know what would be of them, they didn't know what the future lay in front of them, they only knew that this moment would be the last for a while. She smiled sadly, and so did he before they nodded, already agreeing with the one phrase they didn't know the other would say. And as their lips finally crashed and as they finally tasted each other, on the most bittersweet moment they've ever had, they knew they were right, they knew everything would be alright.

"Just one for the road," were the last words they pronounced that night, before their souls joined on the only soul searching kiss they've shared until then, and soon, the need for air was stronger than the need to consume each other on an everlasting kiss. They stopped, panting with their foreheads joined and their breath mixing and then, they would've sworn they heard the other's heart cracking, when they took the final step back to their definite goodbye, as the two waved their good byes Miles and headed out to find their cars, which were parked on different corners of the lot. She smiled sadly and he nodded.

And then, each took their own way.

The end

(As if, you wouldn't you kill me if, after 29 chapters I ended it here...)


	30. The end of 1 road is the start

Hey there! Now I can finally add declare this one as complete. I do have to thank you for all the reviews, all the support and the comments, I know most (if not all) of you felt weird about this (I know I did), I mean, haven't they been cheating their spouses from the moment they realized they were in love with someone else? And if you think of it as a yes, then, they have been both honorable and cheaters during most of this story, being both in and out of character at the same time…. And I guess that's people. We do things we don't always think through and we feel things we aren't supposed to and while we do this, we also try to keep who we are intact, and we try not to lose ourselves. And be happy this is the last long intro for this! I must confess this was one of the most difficult things I wrote in my life, it's hard to portray this kind of situations and it's even harder when we all feel that hard about our favorite couple. (Also, all my knowledge of college is different since we do it on a completely different form, so all that part comes from movies…)

Anyhow! Thanks again! All of you who had felt so strongly, made me grow and add an extra layer to the concept that was developed (or that I hope was developed). Aaaaand, last, but not least,

Enjoy!

M.

PS: I don't know if I'm really happy with this chapter, and that's why I might or might not add an epilogue. Review of any type is accepted just please, be nice J

 **Chapter 30 – The end of one road is the start of the next**

"Come on O'Neill, get a grip," he told himself when he woke up the following morning, it was raining and he thought it was pathetic on his part to consider that it had to do with his current feelings. But he had rolled on his bed and just like every morning since January he found himself alone, every morning except for those few nights he got to sleep with her. He sighed, it was no use trying to sleep any longer, so he got up and went for a run.

He finished his run, soaked wet, mildly cold, slightly panting and way more depressed. His 'clear' mind provided him with reasons and images of why running with her every morning was better than running on the wet streets of San Diego by his own. And of course, his mind did a marvelous job with it. But runs can be only so long and soon he was back at the building and inside the elevator, and in face of his last minutes on his own.

He toughed it up.

And then, he opened the door and followed the noises he heard. In the kitchen, he had to swear to himself because he totally forgot that agreeing to have Jess for a slumber party meant she would be there for breakfast, and he didn't need that reminder as it was. But then again, the image was a bittersweet memory of what it could have been had he not fell under the spell of the tears of Sarah, way back when, when she cried her way to keep him by her side. Things would have been so different, had he listened to his gut as he always did, and not to his dumb heart, which at the time was feeling lonely, depressed and guilty. And then something Jess said caught his ears and stopped his train of thought.

"I'm really glad you didn't have to tell him, it probably would kill him"

"Yeah, I don't think he would have taken it nicely," Charlie nodded and they both went back to their breakfast, which consisted of cereals for what he could distinguish.

"Should I ask what is that you didn't' need to tell me?" He asked entering the room, the two kids blanched a little as he added a belated "Good morning"

"Dad?"

"Morning, Jack," Jess smiled and he flinched at it, and she thought she understood the reason behind it and quickly covered it up. She wasn't dumb and, even if she was, everybody was always telling her she got her mother's smile.

"Charlie, you know you can tell me anything, right?" Charlie nodded once and Jack understood he wasn't talking because he was fearing hurt him in the process. "Nothing you ever do will hurt me as you think it will, I'm supposedly the one who's got to protect you, it's not your job to protect me," Charlie nodded again, and he turned with a smile, "Jess, that goes for you with your mom too"

"Don't worry Jack, we are heading that way," she winked at him and his heart once again skipped a beat. "I'm sorry, Jack… I can't avoid making you remember her, I know you have to leave, I'll just call Phillips and I'll be out of your hair as soon as I can"

"Jess… there's no need, we can drop you before we go"

"I know you can, I know you want to… but if you are here and not there, there's a reason. I hoped it didn't come to it, we both did," she added, giving a shove with her shoulder to Charlie, "but you are the grownups, and apparently, you have some issues to fix first."

"How on Earth you both are so darn smart," he smiled at them as they both shrugged innocently.

"Example I guess," Jess replied, "Come on, Charlie, it's your chance to get it out for good. It probably will be better. At least that was what the psychologist told me when they got my dad…"

"I didn't want to tell you this, dad. And I wanted you to know at the same time." He sucked his lower lip, "I told you yesterday that I started to hate when you came back home, because everything was yelling and pretending, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry… I thought"

"It was the best thing to do, we get it. That's an adult thing, doing stuff they think are good for the kids, when nothing could be good for the kid if it breaks the essence of their parents. Anyhow, well, it's related to when…" he said, scratching the place where the bullet went in.

"The day you shoot yourself with my gun," Jack added blanching a little.

"You might want to take a sit there, Colonel," Jess looked at him worriedly, Charlie lowered his eyes as Jack took a seat.

"It didn't happen as you believe it happened"

"Then how?"

"Well, I knew where your gun was, right, because you always showed it to me and told me it was something I should never touch. But then again, it was something you always got with you when you were out chasing the bad guys," he laughed at his words, "please, bear in mind what you are hearing is coming from my younger self, the one who got through it"

"Don't worry, I just want to know, especially if it is eating you up"

"Well, I opened your safe because I remembered how your password sounded, so by the sound I managed to unlock it, and took it with me, to my room, because I was afraid of the bad guys."

"Which bad guys?"

"I'm sorry, dad. But there were always guys around when you weren't there," Jack nodded, unable to utter a word, because he knew it was true, but it didn't help him, he still needed to deal with that specific part of what Sarah had told him yesterday.

"It's not your fault," he managed to let out after a while.

"I know… but the night before, I heard mom screaming… I was a different scream, and I worried, but I was frozen in my bed because it was all dark. But the following morning, there was light and there weren't monsters because of it, you know? The ones that 'live in the dark'," Jack nodded, "mom… she screamed again, and I took your weapon with me, and went to her room and…" he blushed, "she was on the floor, on four legs, naked, her eyes were closed and her mouth opened, and …"

"You don't need to do this, Charlie"

"He too was naked, behind her… I understand now what they were doing. Why her scream was different to any other night, I don't know… I can imagine, but I don't want to, it's my mom!" he shuddered, "And I got scared when she opened her eyes and saw me without seeing me, but he looked at me and told me something bad, I can't remember exactly what it was, nor I want to. I turned around and ran to my room... and I tripped. And I remember the sound of the gun and the pain, I even remember the smell of my own blood. I'm so sorry, dad"

Jack slumped backwards and then he smiled sadly at his kid, Jess embraced Charlie sideways and pointed Jack with the head he should be doing the same. So he did, he raised from his seat and acted like the adult he was, knowing he would need some time to mend his own broken parts. He embraced him and Jess slid out of the kitchen to leave them to have a private moment.

"Everything will be alright, Charlie. I promise, everything will be better"

Charlie nodded against his chest and then he laughed, and Jack let him go a little and looked at him with a squint. He didn't quite get what was the funny thing that he was laughing at.

"Dad, you really need a shower," he told him, "And Jess probably needs to finish her breakfast and so do I"

"Okay smart ass!" he raised his hands in surrender, "Jess! You can come back now," he said out loud and she entered again. Jack came looking for them afterwards, with a frown on his brow. "Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's your mother?"

"Ah, I don't really know…. But she was acting weird and told me goodbye as if she wasn't going to see me again, and she left an envelope for you, I left it in your room because I thought it would be easily seen"

Jack blanched, he feared the worse at first, since his first impression has always been that Sarah wasn't stable in the mind department. Now, however, he knew she wasn't the white dove he always considered her to be and doubted. He hummed as answer and moved to find the envelope. How did he miss it that morning when he went for his run, he didn't know? It was a brown manila envelope that was a clear contrast against the white covers of the bed, how he didn't feel it when he went to bed, was unexplainable. But there it was, in all its brown glory. He walked slowly to it, then he laughed at himself.

"You confront self-proclaimed gods and you fear of an envelope," he said to himself shaking his head. So, in one movement he sat on the bed, grabbed the envelope and took the contents out. And he was left completely out of words.

He didn't know for sure what exactly he thought he was going to find, but he was sure the papers he found weren't even close. He read them, not one, but four times, and still was left blinking without fully comprehend what exactly had happened. A knock on his door made him turn his head towards the door. Charlie walked worriedly towards his father.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Where's Jess?"

"Ah, Phillips came for her, they have a schedule and she was making them behind." He shrugged. "What's in the papers?"

"Ah… I don't really know… your mom…" she frowned, "she signed the divorce," Charlie smiled at him and nodded, with a knowing smile, "what do you know?"

"Well," Charlie sighed, and dropped himself on the floor close to him. "I forgot to take something decent to wear after the beach, for the party. So, I asked Jess if Philips could drop me at home and pick me half an hour later or so, they both agreed. And I came home, and I found her…. she was crying, dad. It has been such a long time since the last time I saw her sincerely crying, not in the way she used to cry to … I don't want to say manipulate, but … convince you, maybe?" Jack nodded. "I saw the pictures, dad. Of you and Miss C."

"We didn't do anything, Charlie. Nothing more than embrace and sleep" Charlie nodded and smiled.

"I don't really care what you did or didn't do, dad. For me, you and mom, you never were a real item, you were two separate beings living in the same house and sharing space and comfort, I guess… Anyhow, I told you, I saw the way you and Miss C behave together, and I want that for you. I believe, you deserve to be happy, on a real way. Not in the pre made way you tried to mold to. And I saw those pictures on the floor and mom, was crying for the way you look at Miss C, as if she's the most precious being in the world."

"I…"

"Don't excuse yourself, you can't choose your own feelings, and let me finish!" he laughed

"Okay, okay…go on"

"Well, I asked her, what she wanted from you, what she really wanted for herself. And she showed me that picture, she showed me your eyes. And she told me: 'all I ever wanted was for him to look at me like this, but he never did. Not even when we first met'. It was a tough blown for me, dad. I'm thirteen, I'm not supposed to be the Dr Love or something, so I embraced her, and I told her she deserves it. But she deserves it from someone who can feel it for her. I told her, that no matter how long you two survive together, the chances are that you'll never look at her like that and more over, that you'll start to look at her with hate. I told her, that, in order to get someone who loved her, she first had to love herself, and respect herself. Something I thought she wasn't doing since the moment she started to change partners while you were away. She cried a little more, when I told her that, I think I really hurt her with my words, but I hoped she would see the truth. She was hurting herself, and hurting you… and hurting me by extend. I told her, that I love her. And that I know you will always love her, for all she did and because she gave you, well, me. But that you weren't in love with her, and chances where you probably never were. Yes, you loved her, love her and will continue to love her… but you can't force yourself to feel more. She told me she was sorry, for all I went through and she asked me, if I forgave her. Which I do. She's my mother, I can't be angry at her because of her choices, I guess she chose what she thought it was the best, even when it wasn't. But we are all humans and we are doomed to make mistakes."

"Bound to .."

"No, doomed. We must make mistakes, is the best way to learn. I know that. Anyhow, I went to shower when she stopped crying and then when I returned, she had a couple of papers in front of her and she asked me, if I would be okay living with you for a while, I didn't quite understood but I nodded yes." He inhaled deeply

"And then, she stood up, put those papers in the envelope and told me to give them to you, I embraced her, she embraced me back and she told me that for me, and for herself, she was going to try and find out who she was and where she got lost. And then, Phillips rang and she ushered me towards the door with a kiss, as if she was saying goodbye"

"She signed the divorce papers, and she let me your full custody," he told him.

"Well, then… now we have to find our way, dad. And everything will be okay"

"Should I ask again, when did you become so smart? Come here!"

"Well, someone had to! Sadly, it wasn't on time for you to get to her… to Doctor Carter"

"You know their plans?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got an idea… If we get on time then it's time"

"And if we don't?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"Then, we hope time comes… go, grab one of your bags and let's go"

They rushed trough the condo, and Jack tapped his feet all the way to the parking level. And then his fingers on the wheel in every traffic light that stopped him, and then, when they were close enough and he could feel his heart in his throat, he saw it. A plane going up in the sky and he felt that pang of his heart breaking again. But he kept going at the same speed. Charlie rushed inside and came out before Jack could even try to finish parking, his head lowered and shoulders slumped. He looked at his dad completely disappointed with the situation and Jack winked at him.

"Not quite like the movies, right?" Charlie shook his head no.

"So, now what?"

"Now, we move up"

They returned to the condo and finished the process they had started on Friday night, once everything they could take with them in the SUV was inside, they hopped in again. This time, they took their time getting out of the city, as if they were seeing it for the last time. And then, all too soon the last box was loaded into the plane, and with a loud thud, the door of the plane was closed, and with it the last page of their last year. Jack smiled at his son, and Charlie smiled back. And they both were sure everything was going to be okay.

It took 'destiny' two years to reunite them. Two years in which several things happened and the most important was they found themselves and fixed their relationships with the most important person in the world for them: their children. But sadly, they didn't find each other. And two years passed by in a blink of an eye, and Sam closed the door of her SUV with tears in her eyes and trying hard not to spill them. On the other side, Jess smiled brightly to the building which would become her home for the semester.

"I still don't know why did I agree with you staying at the dorms." She whispered once she was at her side.

"Because you love me and you want me to experience life as is best, and hey, you survived dorms several times. Why wouldn't I?" Jess bumped her with her shoulder, making her shook her head.

"Okay… let's do this!" Sam grinned happily. And as she looked around, she frowned when she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. Jess turned around to see her mom's expression and stopped.

"What?"

"Huh? Nothing… I just, nah! Never mind"

"Mom, if you keep stopping every two steps we are never going to get to the dorm!" she complained laughing.

"If you are so excited, go find it"

"What? Without you? What's the sense in that?"

"I'm sorry, I understand your motives, I really do… but, you got to understand this is the end of a page for me too, now I got to start living without you again."

"Oh mom, how can you be so deceivingly cold as a CEO and such an emotional mess when it's me?" she asked, embracing her mom

"Oh, you know me, I am nothing but a paradox," she winked. "Let's go. I'm embarrassing myself here"

"I didn't want to point that to you.. but yeah, you are," she grinned and received a soft slap on the back of her head

"Smart ass"

"Well, according to everyone, I took after you," she stopped at the entrance, and looked up. Sam bumped her since she too did the same and didn't noticed when Jess had stopped. "Here he is!"

"He?" Sam frowned and then, she saw 'him'

"Jess! Miss C! You haven't changed a bit, Miss C"

"You are a good kid, Charlie… a really bad liar, but a good kid nonetheless." Then she squinted at the both of them, "Hum, are you going to tell me why none of you look surprised to see each other here?" They simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"Because…"

"Charlie? You made friends already?" His voice came loud and clear to her ears and she understood what was or rather who was what she felt before. She held her breath and turned around slowly. Just as Jess threw herself at the man with a loud "Jack!"

He was surprised, but he quickly embraced the girl he had come to love a long time ago, when she wasn't as tall, or self-confident. And then she let him go, and he couldn't but look at her mother. And couldn't come with something to say.

"Hi," she told him softly, with a self-conscious smile and his heart beating faster.

"Sam…" he whispered and it was music to her ears. "How?" he asked loudly, watching all three of them in turn. Sam shrugged, she also was lost.

"Well… the fact you stopped contacting each other, didn't mean we should too. We both knew we were going to be early accepted into college and we searched for the same ones"

"When we got the accepting letters, we checked the one which had the programs we want and.. here we are"

"And you never told me?" they both asked to their respective child, which answered in the same manner, with a shrug.

And then, they were being ushered inside and the foursome moved first into Jess' dorm and then to Charlie's. They helped each other to move the last things and set it all in and then, there was nothing more to do than leave. Jack and Charlie walked towards his room, while Jess and Sam remained at Jess'. Then in a spur of the moment Jess embraced her tightly, and told her softly in her ear.

"You promised," and Sam nodded.

Sam walked out of the building, and started to walk away towards the south parking lot slowly, she didn't have any plans more than help her daughter move to campus. Jack walked out of the building, and started to walk towards the north parking lot, he too did it slowly, and deeply in thought. And then…

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

They both turned around, noticing for the first time they were only a few feet away from each other and were about to walk away… again.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

The kids came to a stop, panting a little as they had to run when they saw them walking in different ways. The parents walked back and joined them.

"Is something the matter?" Sam asked, worried, they shook their heads.

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"What's going on kids?" Jack inquired.

"Can we go have a last dinner with you guys?" Jess asked with a mischievous smile and Sam squinted at her. Someone bumped at her making her lose her feet and she was caught by Jack's arms.

"I'm sorry!" the girl who pushed her towards the arms of her love, apologized blushing.

"It's okay," they all told her and she blushed even more, before disappearing inside the building.

"I'm sorry, she's so excited she's here that she has already bumped a lot of people today." The woman who appeared to be the girls mom told them, then she looked at the four of them and smiled, "you got accepted together?" She asked the kids and two 'yeah' were heard, then the woman turned towards Sam and Jack, who for some reason hadn't let each other go since she fell into his arms. "You are so lucky both of your kids are at the same college! I know it can be really hard on twins" They all opened their mouth to correct her, but she kept going, "and you kids, you are so lucky to have your parents here and together like this! I mean, this is not something common any longer! Oh! I gotta go and stop annoying you! Good luck kids!" They looked at the woman disappear on the building and then, they all started to laugh.

"I saw a Chinese restaurant, if that's good with you?" Jack told them when he managed to recover his breath, they all nodded. "Then I can drive all of us there and then we can return and…"

"Your car or rental?" Sam asked with a slight squint. He raised his eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter, I'm the one driving it." Jack told her and she nodded. They walked to the north parking lot and he pointed them the car, he walked her to the door and opened it for her, making her blush under the attention. The kids tried hard not to laugh at their parents.

Then, they got to the restaurant, and the only space for four was a corner table, that left Colonel and Doctor shoulder against shoulder. Each time they moved, the ever present current made an apparition, since their arms caressed softly with each movement. Despite the distracting electricity, dinner was an event. They had several dishes, since no one seemed to be able to decide. Sam was dying to ask him questions about the last two years and Jack was biting his tongue not to ask her the same. But seeing their parents were tongue tied, the kids took onto them to keep the conversation, making them laugh until they were all in tears. But it was over, and the drive back was silent and sad. Once more they walked the kids, each to their own room. Charlie used their last alone moment to tell him to take the chance. And so he did, he waited for her at the front and she came down not too much later, she was drying her face with the back of her hand.

"It sucks they've grown up so fast," he told her and she jumped.

"You scared me"

"I'm sorry… I was waiting for you to walk you to your car. Shall we?"

They walked slowly, side by side, a reminiscence of what it was and what it wasn't before. Their hands grazed and she gasped. When they grazed again, he tangled their fingers, and she answered, turning around her hand and grasping his fully. The smile never left them. She pointed her SUV using her other hand and he walked her to the door, and somehow, she found herself between the cold door and his warm body and inhaled deeply.

"Please tell me you still feel it," he whispered slowly in her ear, inhaling her perfume, and marveling on the goosebumps that appeared on her arm when he spoke to her. She waited until he was looking at her, really at her.

"I promised Jess, that the next time love knocked my door, I would answer." She told him softly, "I have to honor that promise and therefore, I can't lie to you… Jack…" he closed his eyes when he heard his name on her lips after so long, even if he kept her in his mind and heart, the sound of her voice calling him by his name was so rare and was one of the first things he thought he forgot about her. He opened his eyes again and was faced with a loving smile and those eyes so blue he could get lost in them. "I still need you, as I needed you before. I still want you, as I wanted you before…. But I don't love you like I loved you before"

"Then I shall make you remember how you loved me," he told her softly and kissed the corner of her mouth and she melted into his arms.

"No, you don't understand…" she told him, "Somehow, I love you more," with that, he finally kissed her as they deserved, fully and wholeheartedly. This time knowing it wasn't just for the road, but the start of the road.

"There are some issues though…" he told her when they stopped for air. She raised an eyebrow, "I do live mostly in Colorado, and work in Cheyenne mountain in the oddest schedule known to mankind"

"Then I should be thankful I have a nice house in Colorado, with enough rooms to become a home one day, and that I have the oddest schedule known to the womankind," she smiled.

And then, he caressed her cheek and pecked her lips.

"Are we really doing this?"

"Yeah, sure, you betcha!" And that was all the answer he needed to know they would be okay. Because now they weren't broken halves trying to fit into a broken mold, but two wholes willing to compromise to make it work. There weren't more excuses, no more issues, just them and their love, and this time, they took it.

 **The (real) end**


	31. God bless the broken road

For you all, who landed on this one and waited 30 chapters for this and it never quite came.

Thank you, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and have an amazing new year! I guess at the end of the day, I'm just another hopeless romantic

Enjoy!

M.

PS: Yup, I kind of stole the title of that song… I don't own that song either. (Sigh)

 **Chapter 31 – God bless the broken road**

She snuggled closer to him still more asleep than awake and inhaled deeply, and smiled groggily as his arm tightened a little around her waist. And as she blinked to get rid of the last remains of sleep, her mind provided her that it was now almost 3 months since she could awake comfortably cuddling with the love of her life.

Just to think that two years and five months ago, they both had to decide whether they gave each other a chance, or if they chose themselves and their families made her shiver... And the reality was, that it was one of the decisions you reach blindly because seriously, the other one is not a valid option...

And then, even if you are reconstructing yourself, you must deal with the consequences of your choice and, in the moments of solitude, you wonder what would have been and how it would have looked if you hadn't chosen wisely. If you followed your heart in the other possible direction… and then, when you get used to the bitterness that follows every memory, you learn to let go.

Or at least, you try to let it go.

But the moments of solitude, don't go away so easily, and under the moonlight when the books are no longer so interesting, and the thousands of cellphone apps are not an option to silence the brain… In those moments of solitude, she convinced herself she didn't need to rush into another relationship, that the memories of their few moments were enough until she found him again. She convinced herself she needed time to find herself anew, and she needed to fortify her relationship with Jess. Since the one who had suffered the most in the whole messed up life she chose, was at the end, her own daughter.

And she took the time… and she found herself again.

But after the first year, her few and carefully picked friends introduced her forcibly to the dating world, and she ended up dating a few men. Only two lasted more than one date, and now were good friends, nothing else. Probably the fact that she had introduced them to other ladies who matched up with them far better than her was a good pointer of how much hope they could have on trying to score a romantic kind of relationship with her.

Added to her decision of being alone for a while, and despite how much she tried to let go of him, there has been always that oppression she felt in her heart each time she was getting ready to date someone who wasn't him. And, the how the butterflies in her stomach died in one swift motion when she looked whomever she was meeting and didn't see him. And of course, the willingness of her mind to provide her with the memories of the few close encounters with Jack.

She could remember vividly his smile, his eyes, his lips moving softly over her own on that bittersweet goodbye…and yet, even if she found herself, she wasn't fully alive until she had seen him again. And even with all those reasons, and with all her being claiming for him during the 29 months they had gone separate ways, she still couldn't believe they had moved in together in less than a month after finding each other again.

Only a week after finding each other, she had made all the arranges to move full time to Colorado. Jess knowing smile when she told her that was enough to know her girl was (still) rooting for them to become one. And then, when she didn't know how to move further, chance blew the door and pushed them through.

And somehow everything was amazingly easy and immensely recomforting. Jack loved their current home no matter how much he hated their current address. And when he stretched below her, she tough, "This can get much better," … and yet, she knew it was about to become better, the kids had to arrive later that morning and stay with them until the first days of January. The holiday season was going to be a marvelous time.

And she didn't have the sightless idea of his plans, and how 'much better' wouldn't suffice to describe what the holiday season would bring.

When he felt her stretch a little by his side, followed by the soft movement of her hand caressing his chest, he smiled. He understood at some point during their complicated relationship start that she was for him as much as he was for her. He acknowledged it was impossible at that point, and didn't even knew how to start to fix it. At some point, he didn't even recognize himself due to his reactions to the need to be around her …and yet, he had let her go.

Somehow, the time apart only made him feel stronger for her. It was though, since whenever her name was called in a meeting, his mind prepared for him an image of her walking into the room. And he found himself desperate when he noticed he was starting to forget the little things, he freaked out when he recalled a memory and couldn't remember her voice. That only made him crave for her harder. And yet, he had managed to figure out a life for him and for Charlie… somehow

Alas, the moment he saw her his heart hadn't just skipped a beat but stopped altogether. It wasn't that she was missing in his life as much as he needed her in his life to complement him as perfectly as she did. He needed her to bring him back to life.

And that night, they drove to a B&B and they talked the whole night, as if they had never broke apart and yet, in a completely different way, since there were no insurmountable complications and their 'thing' was still there as alive as the first day.

And then, when he thought he had once again lost her, she called him to let him know she was in Colorado, and in a bold movement he asked if she could stay, and surprisingly and easily, she did...and for the two weeks that it lasted, he felt overjoyed. She moved to Colorado and tackling the slight obstacle of their busy schedules, they finally managed to be together, taking all the advantages of living in the same state at least.

When date three day arrived, it did with a bang, someone announced him that he was promoted to a nice office in DC, and sure, he thought "this is it… we are doomed". And yet, it wasn't the end. When he managed to get enough courage to let her know, she congratulated him with a kiss, which spoke volumes about her feelings, and softly added, "You know? My stuff is still half packed and I always loved the DC house, maybe we can make a home out of it?' Then, as if she noticed what she just asked, she blushed several shades of red and worried her lower lip. But he kissed her erasing all her embarrassment away, and they packed and in several flights the house looked a lot more like a home, even their room looked different, lived in and a bit more masculine.

"Did I tell you that Anita called me to let me know she is going to be here to cook for my birthday?" she mumbled

"Really?" he asked, trying to sound surprised. He knew the real reason why Anita was coming and it wasn't only for Sam's birthday party.

"Yeah, she said it is a tradition for her, she called me yesterday and confirmed that all the personnel is taken care of for the time she will be here..."

"It was really nice of you to keep the staff at the San Diego house, even if there's rarely someone there" he caressed her back

"Most of them relocated to other cities, and the rest, I couldn't kick them out. And besides, that house is for Jess. I can't let it fall apart"

"When is Anita arriving?"

"The 27th midday"

"Cool," he added with a little more enthusiasm than supposed and she squinted at him.

"Are you trying to subtly mention that I suck at cooking?"

"Me? Nope… I didn't even try…. I love your cooking and you know it, maybe you don't like mine?"

"Hum…" she added thoughtfully, "Well, I did warm up to your omelets"

"Warmed up?" He chuckled and her stomach grumbled. "I believe your stomach needs some more warming up with omelets" he wriggled his eyebrows. And she grinned

"I agree," she added eagerly. And they both, sighed once more before getting up and out of the bed.

"Huh, warming up…yeah right" he mumbled shaking his head.

Dulles Airport.

"They are picking us up, aren't they?" Charlie asked her for the millionth time, she rolled her eyes at him.

"Of course! I told you already…"

They were waiting for their bags and they were surrounded by people coming home, people rushing for a hug, and many, many kisses. Charlie rolled his eyes when a girl squealed and ran up to her boyfriend.

"You know, I'm very glad I never liked you that way… or the following days would be very uncomfortable," he added pensively, she looked at him with a frown and then followed his line of sight.

"Ah, yeah… I second that"

"Now, there's one thing I did wanted to ask…." She raised an eyebrow and waiting for her half-brother to-be… although they were the only ones who knew about Jack's plan. "Nothing like that, I wanted to ask why did we fly commercial if your mom has tons of planes?" Jess laughed.

"Yeah, because a half empty first class cabin can be considered a hardship…" she rolled her eyes mockingly, "to answer your question, mom offered, but it sounded a bit more complicated to get a space to land a private plane here, than it was in San Diego, and I asked about flying commercial. I don't mind, I know she doesn't either, but in her case private is faster … except when it comes to try and land in DC"

"I thought you had a private airport or something…"

"We have one in San Diego, I know she was looking for one in Colorado before they moved here. And apparently here is more complicated to find one, because of all the government buildings… I dunno, I know it took her awhile to organize their moving."

"Huh, there's yours," he grabbed her bag and they stood again waiting for his. "One would think that if they went in together, they would get out together"

"Yeah, cargo is a mystery…. Hey, how did your dad managed to convince Anita to come?"

"He told her his plans, and she was overjoyed… she actually told him 'it's about time!'"

"Really?"

"Yeah… what did she say to your mom? I know dad had some ideas on how to bring her, but at the end he told me Anita herself convinced your mom to bring her in…" he trailed, and grabbed his bag." And he didn't say a word," she snorted.

"Can you believe Anita persuaded mom of bringing her here by telling her it was a tradition for her to cook on mom's birthday?"

"Really? And your mom fell for it?"

"Yup"

"Sometimes intelligent people can be so clueless," he mumbled and she nodded in agreement.

"They there are!" And then she was running for her life to hug her mom, and he did the same. Becoming one more (well, four more) with the environment.

Then, Sam's cellphone started to ring and she frowned, taking it out she checked the number and swore.

"I've got to take this one. I've been behind this guy for ages and apparently, he's a bit of a Grinch," she told them with an apologetical look

"Go mom, just try not to take too long… Whatcha say about some super expensive coffee from the Airport?" she grinned to the boys, the O'Neill's grinned and they started to walk towards the coffee shop making Sam roll her eyes at them. They got their orders sorted and sat on a table and then Jess leaned forward. "So, Jack… how have you been? Are you behaving chivalrously?" Jess squinted at him and he sat straighter, making Charlie giggle at him.

"Yes. But I must confess something to you both…"

"What?" the teenagers leaned closer in.

"Your mom… she got me like 3 thousand gifts for Christmas and I… I haven't found anything for her," he told them scrubbing his face tiredly.

"Dad, you are kidding, right?"

"Nope, what the hell do you get for a woman who has literally everything?" The teenagers bumped their heads with the wall on their backs. And sighed.

"What did you do with the kids?" Sam asked, joining them on the table, looking amused at the image she got as soon as she entered the coffee shop.

"I think I broke them…" he answered playfully and grinned, making Sam shook her head. "I got you an espresso double, and a blueberry muffin"

"Thank you," she smiled at him, and her eyes twinkled. Jess cleared her throat.

"If you are going to be super romantically awkward, let us know so we can escape"

"Is not like he is proposing or something," she answered, rolling her eyes and then she rose, "we should get going with all these people coming it will take a while to get home"

This time, it was Jack's phone the one that interrupted their conversation, he checked the number and grinned.

"I really need to take this," he told them, kissing Sam's cheek quickly before walking away. Not even fifteen seconds later, he joined them a proud smile in place.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just ... I love when things go right"

"Something wrong at the base?"

"Nope, everything is perfect. "

"Speaking of which…. Are they all here already?"

"Yeah, Daniel and Janet and Cass, got here earlier. They were doing some sightseeing with Cass."

"Cool, we should hit the museums sometime…"

But time has its own way and plans and Christmas eve and then morning came faster than them imagined. For them the hours spend in a family environment, along with close friends seemed like a blink of an eye.

Soon, they were opening presents and it wasn't only Jack who had 3 thousands gift, but every one of them fell under the giving and caring way of (a loving) Sam. Jack found out as he opened gift after gift, that she had thought of him on every corner of the world that she and Jess were at, it was funny and yet heartwarming how he now owned shirts, pants, glasses, keychains, from places he never went. And he had to clear his throat to avoid shedding a tear or two.

And the kids started to look worried, as the packages under the tree became more paper wraps in the floor than the beautifully placed boxes that where before, and so far, Sam hadn't got one for herself.

Jess moved forward and gave her the one she got for her, and feeling that whatever she gave to her mother, would never be enough to pay for all the things her mother had done for her. And Charlie, also gave her his… and there was one from Daniel and Janet… and even a small one from Cassie. And there were no more bags.

"And this one is the last one," she told loud enough for all to hear and gave it again to Jack. Biting her lower lip, "I know it seems like too much, but I got them because they made me think of you. However, this one, this one is for us," she added softly.

Jack opened his package and found that there was a nice vacation package planed no dates marked, for the two of them.

"You didn't"

"I did"

"Sam…"

"Jack…"

"No, really, Sam… I've got something for you too." Her eyes widened, because she was pretty sure he hadn't had time to buy something, and even if he had, she knew she would have a hard time getting something for herself, how hard it would be for him?

He went towards the tree and from under it, he took the last package. But before he gave it to her, he placed a small mistletoe and gave her a kiss. Then, when their friends and kids started to groan, he placed the box in her hands.

She peeled the paper, and found a box. And opened the box and found a burner phone… and opened her mouth to speak.

"Just call the only number in there"

And so she did, and the call was cut loose before she could say a thing making her frown again while Jack smirked… and then, the doors of the house opened and Santa entered, followed by a choir of people singing carols and she laughed like a kid.

"Jack! How?" she asked enthralled, and leaning on him

"Your eyes always twinkled when you saw them sing," he whispered to her ear while embracing her loosely. But then, the songs came to a stop and one by one the singers started to depart, leaving behind a not so tall and fake fattened Santa.

"I always knew he was good for you, kiddo," Santa said and Sam's eyes widened

"Dad?" She asked and looked between her dad and Jack, not quite believing what she was seeing.

"Grandpa?" Jess inquired, getting closer to Jacob slowly, as if she couldn't believe he was real. And then he smiled and nodded eagerly.

"Merry Christmas Sammie, Merry Christmas Jess," and as soon as the words were out, the Carters were mixed up in a tight embrace.

"Grandpa, I have nothing against Santa, but between your fake beard and the pillow belly you are kind of awkward to embrace," Jess mumbled from somewhere inside the hug making all the presents laugh.

For Jack, the looks that Charlie, Daniel, Janet and Cassie gave him when they figured out Santa was Jacob Carter were encouraging, and provided him with the strength to look at the family that had just reunited.

The look Jess gave him was exhilarating, he felt he managed to make her a little happier, to make her Christmas a little more complete. Jacob nodded at him grateful for pulling the strings that allowed him to be there. And then, once the embrace was ended, his eyes finally managed to lock with Sam's.

She took his breath away.

The love, and gratitude he saw, and the way her eyes twinkled in childlike merriment was all he wanted to see, and all he hoped to see when his carefully created plan was at play. With such an environment, the day was spent in a bliss, and somehow, later that afternoon, he ended up in the same room with Jacob

"Jack… Thank you, I have no idea how many strings you pulled to bring us here, but Selmak has a few pointers and Tok'ra side only… look like a lot of them. It was totally worth it and I'll be forever thankful… especially if you tell me what the hell did you do with my clothes"

"Ah, that… we you got to Andrews, they had instructions to bring whatever you had with you here. And to stop you there until I texted them to bring you here. I hope they fed you?"

"Yes, although my main priority at the moment is getting out of this fake belly and back into regular looking clothes." Jack chuckled when Jacob patted the pillow looking belly and moved to take him to the room in which he had placed all his things.

"Here, and…" he started not quite knowing how to ask what he wanted.

"Jack, whatever it is on your mind, just ask"

"Well, I … you know we been only living together for the past 2months, 12 days and 18hs, right? And before that we only really dated a couple of times."

"No, I actually had no idea… last time I was around, you were base commander at SGC and Sam was on a new adventure vacation with Jess. But, go on…."

"I… well, I… it's too fast..." he sighed.

"I think I have an idea of where are you trying to get to," Jacob told him with a smile. "Sam and you, you belong together, Jack. I don't care if you dated 6 million times or just 1. You are good for each other, you are good for her, you are good for Jess. And she is good for you and I'm pretty sure she's good for Charlie too. You might have been living together for almost 3 months, but I'm quite sure, you have been in love far longer than that"

"I have, I am."

"Then… it is not too fast"

"Good, because I wanted to ask you if you will give me your daughter's hand in marriage," he told him at once and very quickly and Jacob laughed.

"You are truly an old-fashioned man, you don't need my permission to marry her. However, I do appreciate you have asked, I'm in."

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Jack? Dad?" Sam knocked the door.

"Come in"

"Why are you too taking so long?"

"I'm just asking Jack how many strings did he pulled to bring me around. But it doesn't matter, I'm here for a couple of weeks. Hope you both have time, now go… this costume is getting itchy and Selmak is starting to complain about making the itchiness disappear"

Between the people arriving, the sightseeing, the time spend doing nothing at all and all those things one can do in a slow-moving holiday, and before they had time to process it was the 29th. And somehow Jack convinced her to take a 'spa day' with the girls, and apparently, everything was organized by the time they got back. The men ushered them to get ready for a dinner outing and soon Sam and Jack were seated in one car driving somewhere.

When the car stopped and Jack opened her door, she gasped. She recognized the place immediately and he grinned at her. It was the little French bistro they had once gone to, when they were still too conflicted with their own feelings, let alone with being in love with each other, but in which they had a date of sorts without knowing the other was already free.

"I thought we could make some better memories in here," he whispered and she nodded. And if his Christmas present wasn't enough to show how thoughtful he could be if he set his mind to, what was waiting for her inside the restaurant confirmed it. Somehow, he managed to bring all the people she cared about, and prepared a party for her. Everyone was there from Anita, to Miles and even Philips with his family.

Dinner came and worried glances in his direction told him that they were all waiting for him to do it. However, he apologized to everyone who had asked him, telling them he had to postpone it. Until Jess came to him.

"So?" she asked, frowning, "weren't you supposed to do it … like half an hour ago?"

"Do you trust me, Jess?"

"Of course"

"Like you did when we first met?"

"More"

"Then don't worry, I didn't change my mind. I'm only waiting for the moment, which will mean the most for your mom"

"Okay…" she trailed, not too sure.

"But it won't be today." She pouted, "don't even try that… and you might want to tell the others it's not going to happen today"

He found Sam, talking with Lena, the owner and her partner, a guy that, apparently, Sam had dated the year before.

"Where are you going for the New Year's eve?" Clayton asked them.

"Oh, we couldn't choose"

"Are you staying home then?" Lena inquired.

"No, it's actually my fault," Jack sighed, "I couldn't avoid the White House Party"

"What about you Sam? I know you hate that party, you've been avoiding it since forever now," Lena chuckled.

"Well, I could avoid it… but I won't. Jack's going, so am I. I must confess I was a bit disappointed for a while." She scrunched her face, "Thankfully, Jack managed to convince the President to grant access for our kids, and dad got an invite too… I guess, at the end of the day, everything turned out okay"

"Jack, I meant to ask you…. What's that you do?"

"I work at the Pentagon, I can't tell you much more than that." He shrugged

They barely got out of the restaurant, snow fell and it was one of the worst storms of the season, 30 inches of snow covered the city that night, making everything setting look a bit more romantic. On the night of the 31st, the snow was still there.

Sam looked gorgeous in a black sheath tight dress, Cassie and Jess looked lovely in their A-gowns. And Janet impressed them all in a tight mermaid dress. The guys were all in black suits, with both Jack and Charlie complaining about the bow ties. They reached to the White House and while the kids looked around in awe, the adults mingled with the crowd. Soon, Jack dragged Sam to the dance floor (or maybe she dragged him), and when the 5 minutes into the New Year were announced, Jack leaned in and whispered in her ear, bringing goosebumps in her skin.

"Follow me," where the simple words he said, and she nodded. They escaped the party towards outside. "Let's go out"

"It's freezing out there," she told him. And he winked at her, and turned around and someone brought him the warm jacket she had before entering the ballroom. She frowned and he shrugged pointing in the general direction of the rose garden.

"I know you like it, but if you want to go back in…" he trailed and she shook her head.

"Let's go"

They walked outside and he checked his clock, and smiled. It was now or never.

"Sam,"

"Jack…"

"Shh… or I won't be able to do this"

"What is this exactly?"

"Well, two New Year's eve's ago, I know you got hurt. It was a different situation, a different lifetime even." She frowned, "I overheard you and Janet talking about, how you don't like New Year's Eve since then, because of what happened… And I don't want you thinking of that night, not today, not anymore…" She frowned biting her lower lip, back at the ball room, the countdown started. She turned her head for a second to look back inside and when she searched for him, she saw him in one knee. "Sam, please make me the happiest man alive, and let me start this year with you as my fiancé?"

And when the one was loudly called, she nodded almost imperceptibly and he stood up quickly. When the fireworks started, she was enveloped in his arms, and their lips clashed together, dancing their own perfect song.

Once the fireworks ended, once they had to stop for air, and she rested her head on his chest where his heart was beating wildly, they felt observed. And they turned around to find their family grinning at them.

They opened their embrace and the kid rushed to them, and they shared their first embrace of the year as a family to be, under the approving gaze of Jacob Carter.

THE END (again)

Happy New Year! May this year bring you exactly what you need J


End file.
